Religion & Politics

Last weekend in New York, I saw "Rebel Voices," Howard Zinn's new play, and the amazing separation of church and state activists of the 1800s and early 1900s would be appalled if they were alive today.

The three cable stations carried Mitt Romney's speech about religion today in which he blasted "the new religion of secularism," referring to those us who believe in a strict separation of church and state. And then there's this:

"Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone."

Here's Article IV of the Constitution:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.