November 2, 2011, here on slacktivist: All others pay cash: The Shepherd-Balkin Amendment
Replacing an affirmation of unity amidst diversity with an expression of sectarian faith is, generally speaking, not a Good Thing. …
The only people who think it’s a Good Thing are those who belong to the sect in question. Ah, but who is that? And are all those who claim to be members of this elevated sect really members of it? Can they prove it? How can they prove it?
Historically speaking, the answers to that last question always involve duress. Ultimately, the only way to really, truly prove one’s membership to the satisfaction of whatever authorities are entrusted with deciding such questions is by not floating when cast into a lake with stones tied to one’s feet. This is why it’s important not to entrust authorities with such questions — why church and state must be separate.
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