Tilley: Godvernment

Editor’s note: Michael Tilley, editor of The City Wire.com, is the author of this opinion editorial.

One might think even with a superficial knowledge of history and religion one would see the advantage of avoiding God-based government or government-based God.

But the level of support for Theocrat Rick Santorum suggests otherwise.

Let’s first note that on a level of intelligence we’d want for President, this guy ain’t it. Santorum’s take on the economy: “We went into a recession in 2008 because of gasoline prices. The bubble burst in housing because people couldn’t pay their mortgages because of $4 a gallon gasoline.”

Santorum’s take on the economy, part II: “We need a candidate who’s going to be a fighter for freedom. Who’s going to get up and make that the central theme in this race because it is the central theme in this race. I don’t care what the unemployment rate’s going to be. Doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates. It’s something more foundational that’s going on.”

Kristofferson was wrong. Freedom’s just another word for no place to work. Or maybe Santorum believes Freedom’s just another word for nothing lost to the left.

Santorum’s take on science as it relates to the female body: “One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country. Many of the Christian faith have said, well, that’s OK; contraception is OK. It’s not OK. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

Would love to see Santorum’s guidebook on how you and your spouse are “supposed” to do things in your particular “sexual realm.”

Santorum’s take on what you do in your house: “If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual (gay) sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything.”

Think about this: Santorum says the government has no business interfering with you and your doctor, but he wants to control your bedroom behavior. His conservative-values hypocrisy would be amusing if it weren’t proving popular in the primaries.

Speaking of primaries, Santorum says giving Mitt Romney the nomination would be the same mistake as the GOP made in 1976 when Gerald Ford took the ticket instead of Ronald Reagan. You see, Ford was a moderate (aka, closet liberal), while Reagan was a God-fearing conservative of which Santorum says he is a mirror image.

But is Santorum talking about THE President Ronald Reagan? That Reagan raised taxes, was divorced and remarried, liberalized immigration laws, presided over a major deficit increase and negotiated a radical arms treaty with the Soviets when even many Democrats opposed such a move. Is this the Reagan to which he refers? Or is there some other Reagan in Santorum’s version of the 6,000-year-old universe?

Santorum’s view on church and state roles: “I don’t believe in an America where the separation between church and state is absolute. The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and visions of our country.”

Reagan’s view on church and state roles: “We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free, and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief.”

Reagan wouldn’t stand a chance with today’s Santorum supporters.

Before you good Christians who pray before supper and sporting events respond to the above by doing or saying something Jesus wouldn’t, please know that Faith — individual Faith — is a marvelous thing. This essay is not an attack on Faith; rather, it’s a reminder of how well-meaning people and ill-mannered governments frequently hijack something so individually important and private as a relationship with a Deity.

And history is a continuous and unfortunate string of such hijacking. To wit, a few historical summaries courtesy of religious leaders and religious thought of the day.

• It’s OK to kill, heinously torture and/or enslave non-believers. Especially Arabs. And Protestants. And them damn Huguenots. And especially the Jews, you know, because those folks killed Christ.

• Your King and Queen, no matter how oppressive, were appointed by God and your opposition to them would be an act of blasphemy requiring the death of you and your family. Have a nice day. (signed, The Pope)

• Those native folks in Africa should be conquered, ruled and/or enslaved so they may see the light of the Lord.

• Native Americans deserved to be killed and rounded up because they were uncivilized peoples incapable of understanding Judeo-Christian beliefs.

• Galileo is wrong and should be punished. We might also harass his family. Ditto for Copernicus. And Darwin.

• Women aren’t able to own property, and they can’t vote.

• Women are property.

• Women aren’t able to be political rulers — unless part of a divinely-appointed monarchy.

• Women can’t serve in the military.

• Blacks in the U.S. aren’t able to own property, and they can’t vote.

• Blacks in the U.S. are property.

• Blacks in the U.S. can’t go to school with white children.

• Blacks can’t serve in the military.

• Blacks who don’t know their place in society are probably Communists.

• Giving women the right to vote and own property is part of a humanistic agenda to destroy the foundation of a God-fearing, western Civilization.

• Giving blacks the right to vote and own property is part of a Communist/liberal agenda intended to destroy the foundation of the God-fearing U.S. during the Cold War.

• Homosexuals (fags or faggots, for those who attend Westboro Baptist Church) in the U.S. should not have full rights of citizenship as straight people.

• Giving homosexuals the right to marry, serve in the military and adopt children is part of a liberal, United Nations-One World government agenda to destroy the U.S. — the only country remaining that is blessed by God.

Santorum is just another in a long line of this nonsense. That he’s not yet promised to put a steeple on the White House is a surprise.

Preachers say we’re supposed to fear God, but the continued primary support for Theocrat Santorum is running a close second on the Stuff-I-Fear meter.

Michael Tilley is the author of this opinion editorial. He can be reached by email at [email protected].