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From: sxnahm@ubvax.UUCP (Stephen Nahm)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Blasphemy still illegal in Massachesetts?
Message-ID: <550@ubvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Sep-86 13:06:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: ubvax.550
Posted: Wed Sep 24 13:06:58 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Sep-86 01:25:58 EDT
References: <1157@cybvax0.UUCP> <259@prometheus.UUCP>
Reply-To: sxnahm@ubvax.UUCP (Stephen Nahm)
Followup-To: talk.religion.misc
Organization: Ungermann-Bass, Inc., Santa Clara, Ca.
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Xref: linus talk.religion.misc:247 net.religion.christian:4727
Summary: Shall we abandon the Constitution?

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In article <259@prometheus.UUCP> pmk@prometheus.UUCP (Paul M Koloc) writes:
>
>Well, I'm not for the death penalty but I think that such fines are
>not out of order for protecting the values of ethnic cultures of a
>vast array in this country.

In your response, you chose to ignore the point of Mr. Huybensz's posting:
the U.S. Consitution states that the government shall not establish a
religion.  A law which gives legal protection to a religion has the effect
of establishing it as "authorized".

>The good side is that then the law will be expanded to include other
>forms, cults and cultures, and provisions for state taking over the
>property used in the commission of the crime will be added.

What do you suggest be done when two cultures are fundamentally opposed?
Cult A asserts that all non-A cultists are Heathen and must be converted or
destroyed.  Cult B states that, in particular, Clut A members are Evil and
must be destroyed and then converted.  Are you suggesting that a law be
passed that protects the right of both cults to destroy each other?

The law in question forbade even the suggestion that there is not a God (and
within the context of a particular God, the Christian God).  Shouldn't those
culture which disagree with the idea of the particular Christian God and
those which hold that no God exists also be protected?

Better to take the course the Founding Fathers took: support no particular
cult and let the market place of ideas prevail.
-- 
Steve Nahm                  UUCP route:       {amd|cae780}!ubvax!sxnahm
sxnahm@ubvax.UUCP           Internet address: amd!ubvax!sxnahm@decwrl.DEC.COM