(Click the title for the cartoon)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Church & State.
What does this say about the concept of separation of church and state? How does this political cartoon criticize that theory and its abuses? What other appeals are used?
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3 comments:
I don't think this cartoon is commenting on the separation between church and state so much as the current influx of new faiths and how that influx could be seen as an abuse of the tax exempt status churches enjoy.
Presently in America there are serious concern about issues dealing with the church and the state. The main issue is the separation of church and state within the United States, dealing with predominantly with the First Amendment and how Americans respond to this amendment. Throughout history, there have been many court cases dealing with the separation of church and state. The Engel vs. Vitale court case also deals with the First Amendment.The First Amendment is of a great importance to the American people because it describes there freedom that they have.
The court case of Engel versus Vitale went all the way to the Supreme Court whose verdict came to be an overruling of the district court. This case dealt with the public school district of New Hyde Park, New York. The problem in this case was that school officials were allowing a school prayer at the beginning of the day. A main political issue within public schools involves the First Amendment, how the school system enforces certain things and how schools can get around the separation between church and state. The First Amendment is being violated by allowing public officials(teachers) to direct prayer in schools. The reason that this is a violation is because prayer, bible readings and moments of silence are prohibited in public school systems.
In attempts to not disrupt the social balance between the different religions, the government is not allowed to tax religious churches, mosques, or temples. Hypothetically if a temple were to be taxed more than a church then it would immediately be deemed unjust and unfair and a social outbreak between the two religious would arise. So to prevent this from happening the government repeals from such acts
However, where should our nation stand? Should our nation continue to print “In God We Trust” on all of our money and should our nation’s president continue to ask God to bless our troops? Obviously our country is partial to Christian faiths because of the majority they represent. Should this be allowed according to the first amendment or does the first amendment not even touch the basis of this controversy? It’s all based on the interpretation of the law and morals of society.
Max makes a good point. I guess this is showing how church and state are always kind of blended together, but i think it is mostly just about how people abuse the government to obtain tax exempt status.
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