The Politicians
  by John Patrick Michael Murphy

Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899) understood politics. In the 1860’s he was the Attorney General of Illinois. When he proved himself competent and popular in that office, the Republican Party handed him the chance to be its candidate for governor, on one condition – he would have to still his lips on the subject of religion. He turned them down so he could continue to serve his country as a guardian of the First Amendment. He spent his life trying to keep the nation from being victimized by religion. Now, [many] years later, we are saddled with the same problem – elected officials who do not understand that their duty to their oath of office in a secular (non-religious) country trumps their own personal belief system. Here is the Great Agnostic describing his times as well as ours:

“I would like also to liberate the politician…There are so many societies, so many churches, so many isms, that it is almost impossible for an independent man to succeed in a political career. Candidates are forced to pretend that they are Catholics with Protestant proclivities, or Christians with liberal tendencies, or temperance men who now and then take a glass of wine, or, that although not members of any church…that they subscribe liberally to all. The result of all this is that we reward hypocrisy and elect men entirely destitute of real principle; and this will never change until the people…allow each other to do their own thinking.”

“Our government should be entirely and purely secular. The religious views of a candidate should be kept entirely out of sight. He should not be compelled to give his opinion as to the inspiration of the bible, the propriety of infant baptism, or the immaculate conception. All these things are private and personal. He should be allowed to settle such things for himself, and should he decide contrary to the law and will of God, let him settle the matter with God. The people ought to be wise enough to select as their officers men who know something of political affairs, who…clearly perceive the future grandeur of our country. If we were in a storm at sea, with decks wave-washed and masts…bent with storm, and it was necessary to reef the top sail, we certainly would not ask the brave sailor who volunteered to go aloft, what his opinion was on the five points of Calvinism. Our government has nothing to do with religion. It is neither Christian nor pagan; it is secular. But as long as the people persist in voting for or against men on account of their religious views, just so long will hypocrisy hold place and power. Just so long will the candidates…hide their opinions, flatter those with whom they differ, pretend to agree with those whom they despise; and just so long will honest men be trampled under foot. Churches are becoming political organizations...”

“It probably will not be long until the churches will divide as sharply upon political, as upon theological questions; and when that day comes, if there are not liberals enough to hold the balance of power, this government will be destroyed. The liberty of man is not safe in the hands of any church. Wherever the bible and sword are in partnership, man is a slave.”

In the hundred years since Ingersoll wrote these words, humankind has come so far in so many fields, but in the area of state and church separation – we never seem to leave the station.

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