Join us for our monthly chapter meeting!
AU Orange County Chapter invites you to join us for our monthly chapter meeting. We meet on the first Saturday of every month at Irvine Water District Headquarters at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine, CA 92618-3102. Our meeting starts at 1:30 PM and social starts at 1 PM. We look forward to seeing you there.
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Americans United for Separation of Church & State
Protecting Your Right to Believe... Or Not
The Constitution Under Attack
Most of us practice our faith without any regard that our right to practice that faith is made possible only because of the guarantees of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Most nations, even modern industrial nations, mandate an "official religion" that all citizens are bound to practice and respect. While many nations ignore their own mandate, others place restrictions and punishments upon those who practice "minority religions."
Amongst the industrialized world, the United States has the largest percentage of its population practicing their chosen religion on a regular basis. This is the direct result of religious freedom, guaranteed in our Bill or Rights. It is the separation of church and state that makes religions strong in our country.
However, once again, our rights to religious freedom are under attack by Christian Fundamentalists who promote the myth that the United States is a "Christians Only" country and that Christian theology should determine our laws and the conduct of our personal lives.
The "Christianist" movement is spear headed by televangelists and political power brokers amongst the religious right. This is not about Christianity, it is about power. It is about punishing enemies (just about anyone who disagrees with their positions). Lacking is the love of fellow man that dominates mainstream Christian teachings.
The biggest threats to our Constitution include:
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Judicial appointments, especially to the Supreme Court and to the Appellate Courts.
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Faith Based Initiative, which funnels taxpayer dollars directly into religious organizations with little oversight.
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Campaigning from the pulpit, illegal for non-profit organizations like churches, but never the less, a powerful instrument to influence elections.
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Constitutional Amendments. Numerous attempts have been made to change the Constitution to remove protections of civil liberties and religious freedom.
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Government display of religious symbols
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to promote a particular religious perspective, from Ten Commandment displays to "In God We Trust" on our currency. Restraints upon privacy and civil liberties to impose a moral intolerance upon our citizens. Abortion rights, gay rights, pornography, and moral censorship.
