Recently, I have heard people talk about what George W. Bush is going to do for the country. I believe the actual phrase was “bring morality back to the nation.” This worries me because of the precedent it will set.
Already, he has initiated his Office of Faith Based Action.
The next step in the process is to begin legislating morality. Passing laws based on morality is a slippery slope.
It is dangerous because there is no specific moral that can be translated into every religion that is present in this country. By legislating against things like abortion, lotteries or same-sex marriages, the government is determining the morality of the nation. They are telling us what views we should hold.
This country was founded on principles such as representative government and personal rights. The first of those personal right is described in the First Amendment and it includes freedom of religion.
What some people do not want to acknowledge is that it means any religion and that it also means freedom from religion.
Some who are adamantly true to their faith argue that “legislating morality is what God intended us to do.”
To this I ask, since God created us, would he not have had the option of creating us to be completely moral without having to create laws to keep us that way?
Since he did not force his moral code on us, who are we to try to enforce it upon each other?
In God’s omni-benevolence, did He not create us with the free will to choose to follow him or not? Since he gave us the choice, should we not attempt to ensure that the choice is allowed to others?
In addition to the George W. Bush events, a proposed state lottery cleared the hurdle preventing it from going on the 2002 ballot yesterday.
Currently, every state that borders Tennessee has some form of gambling, whether it be lotteries, horse racing or casinos. Also, every state that borders Tennessee funds higher education to a much greater extent than our state government does.
One of the most common arguments I have heard from the lips of legislators regarding a lottery is that “gambling is immoral.”
To this, I say that the legislators do not have to participate in it if they are opposed to it. But give us the choice as to whether we want to participate or not. After all, that’s what God did.

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