Ron Paul quotation - Is it a hoax?

[bobman0330]

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His ideology is not that he's a constitutional expert. It's that the federal govt has passed far too many laws that violate the constitution. THere's a hell of a lot of people who agree with this, regardless of whether or not they think God is an integral part of the constitution.

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That's an interpretive position! Of course he doesn't claim to be a constitutional expert, because that would be laughable. He's a lady-parts doctor. But the implication of all of his positions is that he has a superior interpretation of the Constitution than the current federal judiciary. Just because he's smart enough to play that angle down doesn't mean it's not there.

[Taso]

Booo Ron Paul. I still love him, but I think there was always a little part of me that hoped he was really agnostic.

[TomCollins]

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Booo Ron Paul. I still love him, but I think there was always a little part of me that hoped he was really agnostic.

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I'm glad he's not (even though I am). He would stand zero chance of getting elected if he was. I have no reason to believe he will jam religion down anyones throats.

[ojc02]

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Booo Ron Paul. I still love him, but I think there was always a little part of me that hoped he was really agnostic.

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I'm glad he's not. Unfortunately, you can't get elected to anything unless you're religious. Ron Paul is the next best thing because he doesn't allow his religion to interfere with his political views.

Hopefully this country will get over it's obsession with religion but that's not coming anytime soon.

[ojc02]

JINX!

[DblBarrelJ]

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I'm glad he's not (even though I am). He would stand zero chance of getting elected if he was. I have no reason to believe he will jam religion down anyones throats.

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Meh, common misconception. Sadly, many non religious people believe that any religious person would force religion down their throats. I can't really recall a politician in my lifetime who didn't at least pay lip service to some religion.

[Dane S]

None of this is relevant.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

The notion of a rigid separation between church and state

Depends on what's meant by rigid.

All the constitution says about religion is -

"Congress shall make no law with respect to the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." (quoted from memory, may have a word or comma wrong)

Basically that says we can't have a State religion and government will not interfere with religious groups (yes, I know they have interfered - polygamy laws, etc.)

The words "separation of church and state" do not appear in the constitution. The phrase comes from a letter from Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists where he assured them that they need not fear the government ever restricting their right to practice their religion.

That all being said, the founders were not all of one mind with respect to theology. Some were probably as secular as anyone could be in that day and age, and others were probably more evangelical than Jerry Falwell.

[elwoodblues]

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None of this is relevant.

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Of course it is. The views of the president on the interrelationship between government and religion is important because, for example, the president appoints judges who interpret the Constitution.

[John Kilduff]

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But the implication of all of his positions is that he has a superior interpretation of the Constitution than the current federal judiciary.

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I'll venture that I think the average American could read the Constitution and come up with better, more commonsense interpretations than some interpretations that have been devised by the current or recent federal judiciaries, especially as regards the Commerce Clause and the 2nd Amendment. Heck I'll go one step further and guess that my Irish Wolfhound could come up with more sensible interpretations too.