Has America failed it's constitution?
I post this debate as most of the users on this site are American and wish to get a collection of opinions I'll let it be known that I don't know much about American politics, but this is something I was thinking about while listening to American politicians harp on about God.
From what I know the US was supposed to be a secular state, are the religious views of politicians just a way to garner votes or has the government become run by christians?
I wonder what it means for the future of discovery and scientific inquiry in America (a country that has always been instrumental in research), the ID movement is a resolutely American move.
Tell me I'm wrong if you know better, I probably wont be able to take part in this debate too much, but will be reading intently.
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Well, I'm certainly not a scholar of our U.S. Constitution, but if anyone was responsible for injecting Christian principles into it, it would be our Founding Fathers who drafted and implemented it. Over time the interpretations of the religious aspects have been diluted, IMO, to make it more non-secular. But I could be wrong, gasp!! It wouldn't be the first time, as much as I hate to admit it:) 1
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A good example would be the difference between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton and how they both interpreted the constitution in different ways. Jefferson had a stricter interpretation and believed that if the constitution didn't say the Federal Government had the authority do something, it didn't (makes sense because Jefferson believed in small government) as for Hamilton though he had a looser interpretation where he believed that as long as the constitution didn't say the Government could not do something that they had the authority to (Hamilton was also a supporter of a large central government) so it all really depends on how you interpret the constitution. Jefferson may say that we have failed the constitution and Hamilton may say that we haven't. 1
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You have those people that have a bedrock view of the constitution and then you have those people that have an organic view of the constitution---that is the Constitution was the initial framework, but it was intended to evolve to meet the needs of society. The father could not have foreseen every possible situation. It was intended to be the initial guide, but they certainly intended for people to be able to think ---and that much is debatable. 1
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