Right to Opine » Religion

Supreme Court Upholds Church Autonomy

Ethan — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:59:17 +0000

By forbidding the “establishment of religion” and guaranteeing the “free exercise thereof,” the Religion Clauses ensured that the new Federal Government—unlike the English Crown—would have no role in filling ecclesiastical offices. […] it is impermissible for the government to contradict a church’s determination of who can act as its ministers. ... The “scrupulous policy of the Constitution in guarding against a political interference with religious affairs,” Madison explained, prevented the Government from rendering an opinion on the “selection of ecclesiastical individuals.” the First Amendment “permit[s] hierarchical religious organizations to establish their own rules and regulations for internal discipline and government, and to create tribunals for adjudicating disputes over these matters.”

Supreme Court Upholds Church Autonomy

Ethan — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:59:17 +0000

NY Times Continues Attacks on Christian Conservatives

Ethan — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:27:06 +0000

There’s nothing quite like sprinkling your piece with phrases such as, So long as a candidate makes bland, predictable affirmations of religious faith, he or she has adequately punched the religion card. to make your bias crystal clear. And the author’s portrayal of many Christians’ view of Mormonism betrays his ignorance of Christianity.

Modern Parable of Talents

Ethan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:34:47 +0000

In this three-parter he rather poignantly discusses God’s gifts and how we choose to use them. The Dance In My Life Tangled up in Blue

Evangelicals and the Case for Foreign Aid

Ethan — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 04:10:39 +0000

Stearns is also confused about the meaning of the word “dependence”: And at a time when more than a billion people do not have enough food to eat, President Obama’s Feed the Future initiative provides nutrition assistance and helps 21 South American, African and Asian countries feed themselves, without dependence on aid. ... We are also concerned that our tax dollars are so frequently spent in ways we believe to be contrary to both America’s interests and to the primary calling of the church—to reach the lost for Christ—which the government cannot do.

Expat Lectures U.S. on Tolerance

Ethan — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:12:22 +0000

Not content with the fact that Muslims do indeed enjoy religious freedom in America, expatriate Michael Goldfarb lectures us for not being tolerant of Islam.

Capitalism vs Socialism: A Christian Perspective

Ethan — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:06:44 +0000

A friend recently posed an interesting question. What would Jesus be considered most, by His life and teachings: a Capitalist or a Socialist? After pondering the issue a bit, I don't think He'd have fallen into either camp entirely.