U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris

[almaty 19]

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a religious journal that separation of church and state is "a lie" and God and the nation's founding fathers did not intend the country be "a nation of secular laws."

The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected, politicians will "legislate sin," including abortion and gay marriage.

Harris made the comments -- which she clarified Saturday -- in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention, which interviewed political candidates and asked them about religion and their positions on issues.

Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

Electing non-Christians a 'legislative sin'

"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris said.

Her comments drew criticism, including some from fellow Republicans who called them offensive and not representative of the party.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, who is Jewish, told the Orlando Sentinel that she was "disgusted" by the comments.

Harris' campaign released a statement Saturday saying she had been "speaking to a Christian audience, addressing a common misperception that people of faith should not be actively involved in government."

The comments reflected "her deep grounding in Judeo-Christian values," the statement said, adding that Harris had previously supported pro-Israel legislation and legislation recognizing the Holocaust.

Harris' opponents in the GOP primary also gave interviews to the Florida Baptist Witness but made more general statements on their faith.

Harris, 49, faced widespread criticism for her role overseeing the 2000 presidential recount as Florida's secretary of state.

State GOP leaders -- including Gov. Jeb Bush -- don't think she can win against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Fundraising has lagged, frustrated campaign workers have defected in droves and the issues have been overshadowed by news of her dealings with a corrupt defense contractor who gave her $32,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

[Fuzzness 2]

She and Coulter make me want to believe in censorship

[Mirorgate 0]

State GOP leaders -- including Gov. Jeb Bush -- don't think she can win against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Fundraising has lagged, frustrated campaign workers have defected in droves and the issues have been overshadowed by news of her dealings with a corrupt defense contractor who gave her $32,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

But will she accept this as "God's Divine Will" ?

[Jenn! 918]

I really don't understand what she means by "lie" here.

[PsychoKat 0]

Maybe she needs to do some research into our founding fathers then. Most of them were not Christians per se.

People tend to view the mention of God in the bill of rights as refering to the Christian God but if you really read it it doesn't make that definitively clear in fact it almost could be said to describe more of paganistic or earth based diety.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,

[Saddle Bronc 124]

She had a point to make.

The point about "separation of church and state" actually comes from Jefferson. The idea was in fact that the state SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM declaring an official religion (using UK, where Church of England was official, as negative example).

Also, Ben Franklin's comment that the Constitution was meant for religious (who believe in a set of laws) people and being inadequate for any other.

[keltic 1]

saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

ROFLMAO

thanks bro dean for a good belly laugh this afternoon!!!!!!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

She had a point to make.

The point about "separation of church and state" actually comes from Jefferson. The idea was in fact that the state SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM declaring an official religion (using UK, where Church of England was official, as negative example).

Also, Ben Franklin's comment that the Constitution was meant for religious (who believe in a set of laws) people and being inadequate for any other.

...and Jefferson was no clod. It's worth considering what he said since he was instrumental in drafting our Constitution.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The point about "separation of church and state" actually comes from Jefferson. The idea was in fact that the state SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM declaring an official religion (using UK, where Church of England was official, as negative example).

I agree with you there - although I wonder to what extent the C of E really can be considered constitutionally negative to the UK. While it was made the official religion during the Reformation of the 1500's, I'm not sure that the argument applies today. The UK is a broadly secular country, in which church is separate from state. We simply don't have an equivalent to the Christian Republican portion of the electorate that the US has.

People assume incorrectly that the Reformation was solely about Henry VIII's divorce. While that is a popular view, its important to make clear that there was a strong political undercurrent to the anti-catholic movement, that mirrors, say, today's euro-scepticism.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The point about "separation of church and state" actually comes from Jefferson. The idea was in fact that the state SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM declaring an official religion (using UK, where Church of England was official, as negative example).

I agree with you there - although I wonder to what extent the C of E really can be considered constitutionally negative to the UK. While it was made the official religion during the Reformation of the 1500's, I'm not sure that the argument applies today. The UK is a broadly secular country, in which church is separate from state. We simply don't have an equivalent to the Christian Republican portion of the electorate that the US has.

Well, 200 years ago was a different matter:

• Many Americans were descended from those who had gotten in trouble for preaching/following "other than official C of E line" (the original 1620 Mayflower group was cent-percent this)
  
• Revolutionary War was only 25 years in past (and many Americans had lived through it), adding antipathy towards Britain into mix
  
• C of E was somewhat stronger in UK at that time
  

People assume incorrectly that the Reformation was solely about Henry VIII's divorce. While that is a popular view, its important to make clear that there was a strong political undercurrent to the anti-catholic movement, that mirrors, say, today's euro-scepticism.

Only C of E's separation from Catholics (not other events such as 95 Theses at Wittenberg) was about Crazy-Hank's divorce; on Reformation on Continent, I seriously doubt that Luther et al really cared about what was done by English sovereign (unless said sovereign started a war with the Reformer's nation).

[*Robert* 2]

saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

ROFLMAO

thanks bro dean for a good belly laugh this afternoon!!!!!!

:lol:

well god has done a bang-up-job so far!!!

[PlatyPius 5]

I dream of a day when NONE of the political leaders are devout Christians, and logic - not religious superstition - is used to decide matters concerning the welfare of our country.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Don't get me started on that stupid b!tch:

'nuff said

[Reba 2]

Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

so there's no point in voting then eh? If God is appointing the rulers, why are there elections?

I'd vote for the vampire in Minnesota if I could vote. And if I lived in Minnesota

[heishe 2]

What a twit!

Edited August 28, 2006 by heishe