In the United States today many people appear to wish for a theocracy form of government, with their own particular religion as the government, although I assume that they all know enough US history to know that the country was formed by those seeking to escape theocratic governments, and they put inot the constitution safeguards against such a government. When Thomas Jefferson died, though he had been vice president, president, ambassador and governor of Virginia, he wanted only three accomplishments listed on his tombstone: that he founded the University of Virginia, that he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and THAT HE AUTHORED THE SEPARATION OF CHUCH AND STATE in Virginia. That was more important to him than the presidency.
Since man began, he has been creating gods. Early man saw gods in the forces of nature: volcanos, storms, earthquakes and raging water falls. Men in jungles saw gods in the fierce animals they feared. After a while, as they became more aware of their own ability and power, they began to make gods in their own image, Gods were men with human passions – jealousy, anger, revenge and desire for power. In the western world Thor, Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Isis, Odin, Allah, Jehovah and many more were the gods to whom men sacrificed; they praised, build temples to honor and obeyed the men who claimed to speak for the gods . What a powerful position ! Better than a CEO or a king, these men were telling what God wanted and thought. They spoke for God. A real power position. Their followers formed political organizations that we call religions, and those spokesmen and their ardent followers have been the excuse for more bloodshed, wars. hatred, atrocities and destruction of civilization than any other cause throughout history.
In the East religions took a different path, The religions began with teachers. They did not claim divinity and were not gods. They were wise men who taught a way to live. Confucius, Loa Tse and Buddha are examples. Men created religions in their names and instituted the same kind of political organizations around them although they are respected as teachers and not gods.
Today the Islamic world is the most controlling, allowing women few or no rights and dictating education and commerce in the name of Allah, with only men speaking for their god. Women in The US who would support a theocracy based on any god, should look closely at the lives of women in Moslem countries and decide if they they want their daughters to live a life like theirs, where a man may have several wives – he can buy them or receive them as gifts – and the wives, as well as any children they have, become his property over which she has no rights.
One may say, well, Christianity is not like that, but its history tells a different story. Catholic monks kidnapped and burned at the stake beautiful young girls because “they led men away from god” , and today we arrest prostitutes but not their customers. Women have been kept in a slave like position by Man Created gods and religions and today, when the world no longer needs brute strength, but emotional strength, empathy, wisdom and tolerance – areas where women are superior – we must not let a theocracy of men, speaking for God, rule us and our children
Mr. Vance has said real men tell dirty jokes and drink beer in the tavern – I’m not sure Einstein, Bach, Shakespeare or Jesus would qualify as real men under Mr. Vance’s definition.