OT: Re: DON'T BUY PEPSI IN THE NEW CAN ! (MISSING "UNDER GOD")

[Farrell]

Try Brand X, it's half the price! Bought a 12 of Coke for grandpa today for
$3.33. Bought a 12 of Check Cola for $2.00 for the family. Put some spiced
rum in it - you can't tell the difference! Have you heard about what goes on
in Columbia....... ?

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sarah Fox" <sarah@gendernet.org>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 7:56 PM
Subject: Re: DON'T BUY PEPSI IN THE NEW CAN ! (MISSING "UNDER GOD")


> Hi Elwood,
>
> > Read the First Amendment sectuib that deals with the "establishment of
> > religiion.".  Nothing in there about "separation of church and state"
nor
> > was that the original intent..
>
> I believe that would be...
>
> "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
> prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
> or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
> petition the government for a redress of grievances."
>
> So when Congress signs a bill that modifies a national pledge to include
> "God," is that not not the establishment of religion?  When our children
are
> told to recite the pledge every morning and profess their belief in God,
is
> that not government mandated religion?  Even at a baseball game, when
> everyone recites the pledge, isn't there coercion at play, when someone
who
> doesn't believe in God must either choose to profess his belief in God or
> remain silent, drawing stares, appearing unpatriotic, and making himself
> appear suspect?  Is this not a freedom of speech issue, as well as a
freedom
> of religion issue?
>
> More seriously, when I go to court and am required to place my hand on a
> Bible and say "so help me God," is that not government mandated religion?
> What if I don't believe in God?  Do I not have the freedom not to believe
in
> God?  What if I'm one of those ultraconscientious people who feels an oath
> to tell the truth should not include a lie?  What if I refuse to take the
> oath in the form that is required?  Are you aware that I could go to
prison
> (contempt of court) for not professing my belief in God in a court of law?
>
> The law does not protect agnostics such as myself.  The law even further
> discriminates against atheists.
>
> Is there a god?  Dunno...  I think there might be.  But darn it all, must
I
> be required to profess beliefs I don't know if I have, in order not to
> appear unpatriotic and/or avoid going to jail?  It's rather sick, when you
> think about it.
>
> I like the pledge in its previous form.  If Pepsi were to take a political
> stand and print the pledge the old way, I might just have to switch from
> Coke, to which I am hopelessly addicted.  ;-)
>
> Peace,
> Sarah
>
>
>
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