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Is the present American government trying to ban God?

I am asking this because I recently received an email from an American friend that a Bill (HR 1388) was put through your House of Reps and passed 321-105 in favor and is now to go to your Senate. The bill's title is apparently “Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education” (GIVE) and the following is part of the Bill's wording, SEC. 1304. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS. Section 125 (42 U.S.C. 12575) is amended to read as follows: SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS. (a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities: Under this section we then supposedly read the following point 7 (7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization. Is this be the official beginning of the U.S. government trying to ban religion? P.S. Do many of the readers of Yahoo have literacy problems? This does not indicate separation of Church and state for if it did it would only forbid the two being engaged at the same time, not forbidding religious activities even while not engaging in their state activities. As for being "paranoid" as one suggested, as I'm not living in the U.S. I have nothing to be paranoid about in relation to this, my question was only that, a question.

Public Comments

  1. Can you ban God?
  2. It says that members of any American national service organizations cannot evangelize while in that position, because it could look like the government is endorsing religion. Since they are explicitly representing the US government, they have to abide by the strictures that all Federal employees do.
  3. Without the complete Bill it is hard to determine what this bill is talking about, but from the language it appears to be mandating separation of church and state, which is appropriate and not an attempt to ban religion. Separation of church and state protects all religions.
  4. No. Cut the right wing paranoid crap.
  5. It should be.
  6. I really hope so ... 99% of the population would agree, so if democracy works god should be banned. Religion is a scam.
  7. no its the separation of church and state in respect for the equality of people wanting an education, if you want to learn about religion go to the church you want to learn about...its been this way since the beginning of America and the signing of the constitution and the bill of rights
  8. Religion does not need to exist overtly in every aspect of our lives. The most important of these being our workplace. The creepiest thing there is to me is someone who can't go out and exist with people from all walks of life...in a public setting, without bringing their religious baggage with them in the form of non-stop references. This isn't about attacking religions; it's about the inability to adapt to your environment.
  9. no they are not chrsitanity is as old as amierica itself. however they may be trying to seperate church and state more. i don't think that america would take away something like that when we force it down others countries throats left and right
  10. Persecution complex much? This is just separation of church and state
  11. The US has a secular constitution. The words "In God We Trust" weren't added to US currency until the 1950s. That is why educational institutions should not be forced to teach religion. If only it were true here in the UK.
  12. Nothing to do with banning religion. It is everything to do with upholding the First Amendment. It's about not giving government funding or support or tacit assistance to religious activity. This is not new, this is always the way the government has worked (or rather, how it was intended to work - GW Bush was trying hard to circumvent the first amendment). It is not about banning religion, but in fact it is essential to maintaining and fully protecting the free exercise of religion.
  13. No, the government isn't trying to "ban" God. You need to remember what the bill is FOR. When you're doing your volunteerism under this program, you can't try to force your religion on other people, or harass them to join your religion. It's not about what people can do all the times they aren't doing volunteer work. Why do so many religious people think that they have the right to force their bleiefs on everyone else? Given that most Americans believe in the imaginary Sky Bully, it's a surd to think they're going to try to ban religion.
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