Customer Reviews

Why the Religious Right Is Wrong: About Separation of Church & State

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

In this work, Rob Boston gives a good in-depth analysis of the church state separation issue. He provides an excellent historical background including a detailed description of the drafting of the U.S. Constitution's first amendment. Prior drafts of the amendment provide very interesting reading. He correctly examines the effect of the 14th amendment that extended the Bill of Rights to the states and the fact that it was legal for states to set up religion up to that point.

Crucial Supreme Court cases are covered in detail providing excellent examinations of the opinions they generated. He points out that church state separation was virtually ignored during the 19th century and exploded as an issue when immigration during the 20th century brought a number of new religions to the country that the people had never previously encountered.

Mr. Boston does not hide his disdain for the Religious Right and it becomes very obvious in some of his statements, but he illuminates some of the dangers this small but very influential group pose. He exposes the desires of some extreme fringes to convert America into a Christian theocracy.

All in all this is a great work with thorough documentation of sources that allow a reader to research further into the issue. Mr. Boston also provides a number of historical documents in whole or in part to illustrate the mindset of the founding fathers, particularly Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Boston does an excellent job of defending a principle that too many Americans have been lied to about for too long. With an overview of church-state history, legal issues, and a well-reasoned attack on the Religious Wrong, Boston's book is a breath of fresh air in the polluted skies of sectarianism. A quick note, one of the reviewers of this book noted that "separation of church and state is not written in the Constitution." Ignoring the poor grammar he used, he obviously didn't read the book. That point, and it is a valid one, is discussed by Mr. Boston. It is unfortunate in our time that people who have never had a taste of oppression, never a glimpse of tyranny, seek to run for cover under state-imposed orthodoxy. Keep the church and state forever separate in every way. I know what I'm talking about, my family grew up in Iran!

I found it to be a good start on the subject. Some of the dates were incorrect (typos, I'm pretty sure) and there were a few small but largely unimportant inaccuracies, such as the role of the NY State Supreme Court. In NY the final word is handed down by the Appellate Court (a somewhat understandable mistake-common sense dictates otherwise). For someone starting out with an admitted bias he does a presentable job in covering the other side of the issue, although the bias does show through. I've personally found the religious right to be much less forthcoming with opposing facts that refute their arguments.

When I picked up this book I was skeptical about the entire religious right's moves to curtail my freedoms. This book gave me a deeper understanding of what is going on and put it in a historical and modern context. I would recommend this book to all that would like to assure their freedom and their children's freedom to choose their religion in the future.

Robert Boston has done a superb job of documenting the evolution of the church/state separation idea. He also describes how this idea fared in early American history, demonstrating that the idea is very much real and intended. Of course, the book also deals with the ideological attacks on the wall of separation, which has mostly come from the Religious Right, including Reconstructionists, and Accomodationists. The appendix includes useful rebuttals to the common fallacious theocratic propaganda concerning church/state separation. A must read for anyone wanting to become more active in defending the wall that separates church and state.

There is a short shelf of essential books on the religious right. This one belongs up there with Jean Hardisty's Mobilizing Resentment; Frederick Clarkson's Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy; and Boston's book on Pat Robertson, The Most Dangerous Man In America.

Rob Boston presents an intelligent, well written argument against the threat of the Religious Right movement in America. He traces church- state relations from several hundred years ago to the present day and confronts the non-seperationists with zeal and passion.

Why do many Americans fall so easily for the propaganda and historical distortions from the Religious Right? I think the main reason lies in the attitudes that many Americans have toward people in authority. Not just religious authority, but other authorities as well, such as political figures, teachers, and even our elders. Many people seem to falsely think that individuals in positions of authority are incapable of wrongdoing, even when they have been proven wrong in the past. I cannot count the number of times that I have heard a person in an authoritarian position make an outrageous statement which is then quickly taken as gospel by the gullible public. Sometimes, the individual in authority will later contradict himself and even his contradiction will be treated as infallible by the public! This has never ceased to amaze me.

Rob Boston states several times that he is unsure whether the Religious Right is ignorant of the facts or withholding the truth. In the case of the followers of the movement, I think ignorance and vulnerability are at the forefront. But the leaders of this so- called "religious" movement can only be described one way: they are bona-fide liars! Pat Robertson and the rest of the leaders are willing to sacrifice honesty in order to further their political agenda. These leaders have studied the constitution and American history history extensively. They would have to know that what they preach is completely false, beyond all shadow of a doubt.

We all need to take a stand against these extremist groups to protect our freedom for ourselves and for future generations. Remember: apathy is the #1 tool used by the Religious Right. We need to get up and fight!

Religious belief and practice are personal affairs that should remain in the realm of private matters. For over 200 years our Constitution has allowed for the peaceful co-existence of all people, regardless of religious beliefs. Religion in America is as diversified as her people. All must function equally under the law. The law would be remiss to give special recognition to one religion above all the others. Unless all are treated equal under the law, none are free.

Kepa Cho. Oakland, Ca.

This contents of this book helps prepare the citizen-soldier for the defense of every citizens' religious rights from the fanatical fundamentalist religious groups in America who want total control. If one can read this book without getting sick themselves, they will see how repulsive the individuals and groups are that proclaim their religious beliefs to be the only true religious beliefs; how the reader should obey their teachings; how the U. S. Government should be based on their religious beliefs.

When religious groups want to control the government and the people from inside the womb to after the grave a serious battle must occur, not just light skirmishes. This book helps the citizen-soldier get through the light skirmishes while girding themselves for the inevitable battle for personal religious rights, free from government, of all Americans.

The negative reviews were obviously written by those on the Religious Right who reject the truth. The truth is that Boston's book is a valuable contribution in the effort to expose the "Christian" Right, because they have become far more influential politically than most people realize. Boston's insight and research is valuable, and his work is a great companion to other works, such as A Pilgrim's Path: Freemasonry and the Religious Right, by John J. Robinson, and Real Prophecy Unveiled: Why the Christ Will Not Come Again, And Why the Religious Right Is Wrong, by Joseph J. Adamson. These books shed light in a world made dark by religious bigotry and hypocrisy, and the latter gives us the true meaning of prophesy to dispel the "end times/last days" nonsense. I just wish more people would seek and find the real truth, because the sooner people get the message the sooner we can put an end to the conflict, division, and violence.