U.S. Supreme Court’s egregious approval of religious misconduct

 Phil Beaver seeks to collaborate on the-objective-truth, which can only be discovered. The comment box below invites readers to write.

"Civic" refers to citizens who collaborate for individual happiness with civic integrity more than for the city, state, nation, or society.

Consider writing a personal paraphrase of the preamble, which offers fellow citizens mutual appreciation:  For discussion, I convert the preamble’s predicate phrases to nouns and paraphrase it for my interpretation of its proposal as follows We the People of the United States proffer & practice 5 public disciplines —- integrity, justice, safety, strength, and prosperity, “in order to” encourage & facilitate responsible-human-independence “to ourselves and our Posterity”. I want to improve my interpretation by listening to other citizens and their interpretations yet would preserve the original, 1787, text, unless it is amended by the people.

It seems the Supreme Court occasionally refers to it, and no one has challenged whether or not the preamble is a legal statement. The fact that it changed this independent country from a confederation of states to a union of states deliberately managed by disciplined fellow citizens convinces me the preamble is legal. Equity in opportunity and outcome is shared by the people who collaborate for human justice.

Every citizen has equal opportunity to either trust-in and collaborate-on the goals stated in the preamble or be dissident to the agreement. I think 2/3 of citizens try somewhat to use the preamble but many do not articulate commitment to the goals. However, it seems less than 2/3 understand that “posterity” implies grandchildren. “Freedom of religion,” which fellow citizens have no means to discipline, oppresses freedom to develop integrity.

Selected theme from this week

U.S. Supreme Court’s egregious approval of religious misconduct

Christianity’s arrogance toward Jesus’s political philosophy was never clearer than accommodation to Coach Kennedy to take his prayer from the closet to the 50 yard line. See John 6:1,5-6 for Jesus’ advice. The court voted 6:3 to encourage prayer pride in KENNEDY v. BREMERTON SCHOOL DIST.

We, the civic people of the United States can& may amend the First Amendment so as to prevent Congress from promoting free practice of religion. Christians ought to conform to Jesus’s political philosophy and religious privacy is none of Congress’s business.

News

theepochtimes.com/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-high-school-football-coach-fired-for-post-game-prayers_4560184.html?

I opine this a 6:3 vote condoning public defiance of Biblical instruction; for example, in Matthew 6:5-6. The U.S. ought not encourage religious practice at all, let alone in arrogance toward scripture. The referenced scripture is reported as instruction from Jesus and adds to my list of practical-Jesus suggestions affirmed by human experience& observations. Indeed, the court needs reform. Christian groups & churches can& may object to court errors.

theepochtimes.com/trump-responds-to-potential-trump-desantis-2024-ticket_4570064.html?

Ancient cultures, for example, Sumer 5,500 years ago realized that the gods will not usurp human-being's responsibility for safety& security on earth.

Pence fails understanding that Jesus does not usurp the individual's duty to aid safety& security on earth. Consequently, Pence betrayed the U.S. commander-in-chief, who is charged in Article II, Section 3 "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed".

I voted for Trump 4 times and am on deck for a 5th time, provided his running mate expresses that the constitution holds the administration responsible to civic-citizens of the U.S. (We the People of the United States who accept the intentions that are stated in the preamble) rather than to his personal god, whatever that may be.

theepochtimes.com/supreme-court-targets-the-real-enemy_4571651.html?

Tucker's opinion about long-needed Supreme Court action seemed good until "We've just begun . . . " Who is "we" in his claim? The Christian democrats? The U.S. Constitution, Article IV, Section 4 says, "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government." That means constitutional republic, not "representative democracy".

The monumental offense is the 1791 First Amendment's religion clauses, which grant Congress freedom of religion. I hope the Supreme Court quickly reforms their recent, egregious religious instruction to Coach Kennedy: effectually, despite Jesus' instruction, take your prayer out of the closet to the 50 yard line!

Congress can& may amend the First Amendment to “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or [promoting] the free exercise thereof.”

 Why do most Christians want to pray in public and thus defy Jesus' advice?

Quora

quora.com/Wouldnt-accepting-personal-responsibility-ethics-and-reality-in-the-pursuit-of-fairness-and-justice-for-all-instead-of-blaming-many-for-the-actions-of-the-few-be-far-better-than-perpetuating-division-in-the-form-of? by Matthaus Heath

Q: Wouldn't accepting personal responsibility, ethics and reality in the pursuit of fairness and justice for all instead of blaming many for the actions of the few be far better than perpetuating division in the form of movements and ideologies?

A: Yes, except that “for all” is not feasible, because not every dependent fellow-citizen wants justice, let alone the fairness ideal.

Movements and ideologies are responses to erroneous tradition. Personal responsibility, sincere as it may seem to the agent, often lacks the integrity that is required for civic reliability. Herein, “civic” means fidelity in human connections& transactions. The errant citizen must be corrected by fellow-citizens’ resistance. There can be no polite stonewalling.

Human beings can& may reject responsibility by pursuing a dependency, such as, indolence, crime, or tyranny. Civic-citizens necessarily constrain dependent fellow-citizens using the rule-of-law: statutes and enforcement. Civic-citizens can& may ensure statutory justice.

Dependents who preserve un-just laws are tyrants and the least likely to reform. This is so, because tyrants understand dependencies and, therefore, create& maintain traditions that prey on gullible fellow-citizens. An insidious tradition is Congressional freedom of religion, by which Congress (synonymous with Corruption) picks the peoples’ pockets with immunity.

Tyrants subsidize poverty (keep the poor impoverished) and own supply enterprises. They endorse and subsidize theism, so that believers wait an eternity for relief expected from their divine provider. Tyrants do all they can to distract fellow citizens from practicing, facilitating, and encouraging responsible-human-independence (RHI). Many tyrants subsidize politicians and media businesses who aid them. Happily, there are signs that the youth want to curtail divine-ruin of their future.

The first step to remedy in the U.S. is to free ourselves from the influence of utopia: to accept that We the People of the United States is conditional on accepting “in order to” and understanding the 6 domestic disciplines that relate to “unity”, justice, “tranquility”, “defence”, “welfare”, and “liberty”. And most of all, accepting that “ourselves” can& may pay our way rather than creating debt to “our Posterity”.

Second is to embrace the constitutional republic, putting aside the alien world’s desire to persuade civic-citizens of the U.S. to embrace democracy, social democracy, communism, or any other commitment to divergent chaos. The Democrat Party blatantly endorses Davos’ “the Great Reset” and the WHO’s role.

Third is to individually vote in self-interest to practice, facilitate, and promote RHI to elected& appointed officials in every level of government.

I don’t think it is too late to constrain the corruption that has overtaken the Democrat Party and the media in the U.S. However, the deep state is so corrupt I don’t think any individual can effect reform. I’ll vote Republican unless I perceive a better choice, but will not let up on urging the civic-integrity needed for RHI in high places.

In my contacts with fellow citizens, it seems, the civic-individual is alive and well and only needs to vote with pure self-interest towards RHI. I think the U.S. can be saved but not by preserving Anglo-American tradition.

quora.com/Benjamin-Franklin-said-Whatever-is-begun-in-anger-ends-in-shame-What-do-you-think-of-Franklins-sage-advice/answer/Phil-Beaver-1? Comments by Terry Vestal

Terry, thank you for sharing more.

First, I’d like to share MeriamW’s definition of “prudent”: “marked by wisdom or judiciousness”. I try to avoid evaluative phrases, so gladly gave it up. Thank you for that, too.

My post refers to “the-God” and I have no idea what that is. It could be physics. Regardless, I am humble to whatever constrains the consequences of human choices. For example, the country that invades another may invite unwanted consequences.

I don’t recall our past discussion of ethics. I reviewed personal files and see that I have read Hume: AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Hume and Ralph Waldo Emerson, in “Divinity School Address”, plus my long regard for “Self-Reliance”, helped me realize that honesty is insufficient: fellow-citizens need integrity, especially civic-integrity.

Integrity is grounded in discoverable evidence, which, when the necessary perception-tools are available, may lead to the-ineluctable-truth. “Ineluctable” means “not to be avoided, changed, or resisted”. The ineluctable-evidence does not accommodate opposing reason.

When the-ineluctable-evidence has not been discovered, humans may invent concern, devise doctrine by which to relieve the concern, and persuade some people to adopt the concern and the relief, never having verified the concern. By such constructs, people adopt concern for the mystery of soul and the supposition that they can& may act to benefit their afterdeath mystery. It is unlikely that the-ineluctable-truth accommodates even one mystery, let alone every person’s relief.

I have only read about Darwin and understand that evolution is about the laws of physics acting in changing environments. I have not read Walter Bagehot, would like to read “Physics and Politics”, 1872, and doubt I will.

I read about Adam Smith at plato.stanford.edu/entries/smith-moral-political/. Quoting the article, “Perhaps taking a cue from David Hume's skepticism about the capacity of philosophy to replace the judgments of common life, Smith [exerts] political interest in guaranteeing to ordinary individuals the “natural liberty” to act in accordance with their own judgments.” The laws of physics do not accommodate reason.

Most people do not appreciate Albert Einstein the political philosopher. Quoting Einstein, “It is the privilege of man’s moral genius, impersonated by inspired individuals, to advance ethical axioms which are so comprehensive and so well founded that men will accept them as grounded in the vast mass of their individual emotional experiences. Ethical axioms are found and tested not very differently from the axioms of science. Truth is what stands the test of experience.“

I don’t know why he chose “emotional” to modify “experiences”. His single example addresses not lying due to civic self-interest rather than to follow a doctrine or rule. Perhaps his reasoning applies to not killing as well. See “The Laws of Science and The Laws of Ethics” in the book Out of My Later Years.

Unfortunately, Einstein suffered like-Darwin social pressures. Writing for “science and religion” audiences, Einstein expressed the nonsense, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” I speculate words that better express Einstein are: Research without integrity is ruinous, integrity without research is ineffectual. Jerry Coyne analyses the problems at newrepublic.com/article/115821/einsteins-famous-quote-science-religion-didnt-mean-taught.

I trust-in and commit-to the-ineluctable-truth, most of which I do not know. I do not deem that religious yet accept it may be viewed as “faith” in the undiscovered.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn (e.g., Walter Bagehot on to-do list) by dialoguing with you, Terry. Please write as often as you want to. Use email if you like: phillip@beaver.brcoxmail.com .

quora.com/unanswered/Can-we-be-both-free-and-independent-people-while-also-believing-in-the-importance-of-having-the-right-or-correct-image? by Moonlight Sky

I don’t think so. Through work, homo sapiens can be free& independent but cannot have civil correctness. As evolution unfolds, necessity& justice demand constitutional reform.

The laws of physics constrain human-beings to work for safety& security. Fellow-citizens can& may choose to uphold physics against tyranny: laziness, crime, or civic power. Here, “civic” refers to reliability in human connections& transactions. Reliable civics, rather than civilization, drives the rule of law.

Freedom& independence demand development& maintenance of statutory justice, by which to practice, facilitate, and encourage responsible-human-independence (RHI) “to ourselves and our Posterity” (quoting the preamble to the U.S. Constitution).

At any moment in time, physics’ correction to human choices discloses unjust law, which requires constitutional reform toward statutory justice. The current adult generation always inherits some injustices and has the duty to discover& reform law to the next generation. Thus, the free& independent citizens can& may always pursue correctness for safety& security to “ourselves and our Posterity”.

For example, adults who live high on the hog by accumulating debt to their descendants invite present& future ruin. The industry that thrives on persuading children to change their physics invites castigation.

The principal value of legal precedent is to disclose past errors so as to neither repeat them nor apply them in the work for reform. Correct rule of law is grounded in the-discoverable-truth if not the-ineluctable-truth. “Ineluctable” means “not to be avoided, changed, or resisted”.

Facebook

facebook.com/chris.nalepa.7 June 29, 2022

Joker Words attributed to George Clooney: “Call me crazy, but I love to see people happy and succeeding. Life is a journey, not a competition.”

I think this sentiment is improved if "appreciation" replaces "a journey" and "rather than" replaces "a": Life is appreciation rather than competition.

I like my modified "Joker Word" because it produces more laughter than concern: seriously.

facebook.com/phil.beaver.52/, June 29, 2022

It seems clear the human individual acts on necessity& justice, as they perceive it. Some pursue civic-integrity for responsible-human-independence (RHI). Others pursue a dependency, such as, indolence, crime, or tyranny.

Government can& may practice, facilitate, and encourage RHI, in order to civilize civic-integrity. The U.S. government’s dependence springs from religion, in particular Judeo-Christianity, especially Judeo-Catholicism.

Religion is reasoned resolution without reliable concern. Since mystery is unreliable, the 1787 preamble to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, and subsequently un-amended, leaves religious belief a private choice.

Yesterday, we learned that the U.S. Supreme Court encouraged public prayer to Coach Kennedy, a Christian, against his school board. Jesus was unrepresented.

It seems egregious that 6 Judeo-Christian justices would encourage Christians to defy Jesus’s well-grounded civic& spiritual advice: keep religious practices private. See Matthew 6:1-8, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them . . .” and Proverbs 15:25-33, “The Lord tears down the house of the proud . . . and humility comes before honor”.

Fellow-citizens may wonder what inspires justices to defy the power that controls the consequences of human choice. Some call the controller “God”. Many Christians offer “The Trinity”. The control seems to be physics.

For safety and security, the civic faction of We the People of the United States need not continue to accommodate the U.S. government’s dependency on Congressional freedom of religion. We can& may amend the First Amendment so as to terminate 1791-Congress-imposed tyranny.

I suggest the following words for the amended First Amendment’s religion clauses: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or [promoting] the free exercise thereof.”

Random musings

Appreciation

I appreciate UBCCourageClass’s welcoming patience with me and dialogue that is stimulating to our friend Chris Nalepa. I hope Patrick MacDanel will attend a meeting soon. Patrick is a high-level Information Technology expert and Christian physical-fitness leader with Healing Place Church.

I appreciated Abner Hammond’s recent leadership and am happily reading the book “Sapiens”. It will curtail my work until I finish it.

I look forward to Mike’s “Liberal vs Conservative” lessons.

It seem difficult to warm to patriotism& pride when traditional clichés seem to exacerbate today’s divergent chaos. This July 4 will be interesting.

A positive view about homo sapiens.

Whatever constrains the consequences of human choice informs us that persons can& may perfect their personal god-facing-death. I hope soon UBCCourageClass-members accept each other as gods-facing-death: no qualification/assessment required.

About 5,500 years ago, in Sumer, political philosophers suggested that human-being has god-like independence to rule the earth and all its species. That is, whether woman or a man, a god-facing-death, can& may perfect their person before body& mind stop functioning. Woman& man can& may constrain chaos on earth.

The Sumer-suggestion is expressed by Hebrew scholars in Genesis 1:26-28. Jesus, at least a person with exceptional insights to human being, seemed, in John 10:34, in Matthew 5:48, and elsewhere to affirm god-like perfectibility to each human. For all we know, Jesus is the-High-God. Unfortunately, some groups erroneously restrict “human” to their beliefs.

I consider myself a god-facing-death and view fellow-persons equal gods-facing-death -- where they are, as they are, in their responsible pursuits of the happiness they perceive. Their responsible pursuit for them is essential to civic-collaboration yet does not impose-on my personal pursuit. Low as I may be, I work to perfect my performance, trying to preserve my time for achievement.

Baptist Sunday-school leaders

Leaders can project happiness or disturbance. They present thought, perhaps with a novel view and potential interpretation, then let the class share their experiences& observations. Class members share with transparency. The leader need not evaluate a human-being’s experiences& observations. Disturbance occurs if one thought is treated as heresy: gods-facing-death develop their own paths to perfection. Happiness obtains when the class learns from each other either immediately or in reflection. In the rare class whose members mutually appreciate gods-facing-death, erroneous comments (human mistakes) may be taken in stride.

There’s no place for censorship among gods-facing-death. I like Vaughn’s way of saying it: “In class, you can say anything you want to.” And Chris Nalepa’s way: “Be transparent.”

Interestingly, at my first luncheon with members of Nomads Class, yesterday, I reminded a peer who inquired about my experiences in the 1980s UBC, that I returned neither Baptist nor Christian, in order to advocate Jesus. I remarked that if I had had to maturity to express that then, I might never have left. That Nomad agreed: others might be aghast with the dialogue.

A positive view of U.S.-citizenship

Due to failed civic-education (I think a press duty), almost no American has high regard for U.S. intentions “to ourselves and our Posterity”. Responsible-human-independence (RHI) is abstractly proposed in the preamble’s domestic-discipline sentence. Many Christians use the declaration of war against England to personally obfuscate actively neglecting the preamble that addresses the Nation’s intentions. Many justices facilitate preservation of colonial-English tradition. Scholars impose the traditions. I appreciate Michael’s plan to accommodate a 4 session series on the preamble and will prepare 4 each, 10-minute introductions.

Scripture and the stock market

I appreciate Michael’s “advertising” of the 4-week discussion he plans. I will research and think on it. My first thought is that it seems immoral to invest in the “the Great Reset”; I cite Genesis 1 for resistance.

The divergent-chaos that humankind has obtained calls for reform

Three concepts that inspired me to return to UBC& stay seem strange to most fellow citizens.

First, no Christian I know takes Genesis 1:26-28 as condoned by Jesus. Yet Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born I am.” Sargon ruled before Abraham was born. I think Genesis 1:28 demands us to develop RHI – removes all excuse for not aiding safety& security in living.

Second, scholars have “protected” us from the word “ineluctable”, which means “not to be avoided, changed, or resisted”. Consequently, we accommodate public-opinion that is not grounded in the-ineluctable-truth. “Ineluctable” was used in translation from another language in 1570. It was coupled with “truth” in 1906. Yet most of us have never encountered “ineluctable”. Votes that are not grounded in at least the-observable-truth oppose the voter’s self-interest.

Third, religion imposes mysteries that obfuscate civic-integrity. “Civic” means reliable human connections and transactions. The Bible reports Jesus expressing civic-integrity. The practical Jesus can be developed when living people share experiences& observations.

However, Jesus’s safety& security suggestions seem obfuscated by 6 mysteries: God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus’s peace, Satan, soul, and heaven/hell. Individuals can take interest in the mysteries while developing the civic-integrity required for RHI.

However, mystery& miracles make it difficult to discern& develop RHI. Other avocations, like professional sports, the symphony, or rock shows, do not intentionally distract from RHI.

Phil Beaver does not “know.” He trusts in and is committed to the-objective-truth which can only be discovered. Conventional wisdom has truth founded on reason, but it obviously does not work.

Phil is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com, and consider essays from the latest and going back as far as you like.