Well besides it not being a rant the way the founding fathers founded the US based on masonry I will answer that. When Moric was elected it was touted as a Democracy.
The words Democratic Republic is what give the checks and balances to democracy.
The reason most don't hear of it is they watch NBC, ABC and CBS for news. If you would have been watching Fox they have had news about the percussions of Christians and Jews in Egypt from the time Moric was elected. But since people think Fox is evil because they are conservative the people will not know what is going on.
Crusades bad. Doesn't matter which religion is the one currently doing the crusade. Persecuting anyone using religion as a basis is terrible.
Does that mean we are "persecuted" in the USA with the little nothings we have to put up with?
You shouldn't expect tolerance, when you yourself are intolerant.
You are leaving out the part where the Mursi camp unilaterally rewrote the constitution, giving unprecedented powers to their newly elected president.A new president was elected and he is a member of the Muslim brotherhood. The military later arrested him and pretty much started a coup. The Muslim brotherhood are the ones protesting, and they have a history of Violence. They were apparently have some link with Hamas.
You are leaving out the part where the Mursi camp unilaterally rewrote the constitution, giving unprecedented powers to their newly elected president.
Most Egyptians were, to say the least, alarmed at this turn of events and would have tossed these extremists out on their asses had they been given the opportunity in a fair and open election. Of course, such a thing was never going to happen, so the military has stepped into a bad situation and is trying to to reboot the whole process. I say good luck with that.
Egypt is headed for civil war. Same Middle East story, different day. Radical Islam was a theocracy where "God's Law" reigns supreme, other religious minorities (including Christians) want just about anything but that, and the notion that a secular system of law and government would be a better idea dies in a hail of bullets, fire-bombs, and ignorance. Think about that the next time someone argues that "The Ten Commandments" belong on court house walls.
It's amazing how much the world still suffers from the imperial ambitions of the UK and France.
And? People "tout" margarine as butter and "tout" bisons as buffalo. The USA has been "touted" as a democracy since the beginning of the 20th century, if not earlier. The United Kingdom is "touted" as a democracy. The People's Republic of China is "touted" as both being democratic and a republic. Just ask them. Does that make it a democratic republic.
Who is "Moric"?
No, the institutions of constitutional limits to the power of government give checks and balances. You could use the words "Igglebiggle Fabookiepoo" to get the exact same practical effect as hurling about "Democratic Republic" like some kind of magic spell.
And that is also the reason that American Christians sit on our well-padded butts and whine about how WE are "persecuted" when we have to put up with nothing approaching the Copts' ordeal? Oh, and NPR is also reporting on this matter and doing so sympathetically to the Egyptian Christians--so I guess that means you now consider NPR to be "conservative".
So, then, what about American Christians whining about being "persecuted" in the face of what is happening elsewhere? What does that say about those of us who are American Christians and indulge in this whining?
With respect, "God's law" has no place in secular society. None. Your "God's law" is not mine, and neither of ours is the same as our neighbors'. As Masons, we are charged to keep within the bounds provided by our own chosen VoSL. What's more, we are charged to seek and to celebrate where our own chosen "Divine laws" overlap. It is in those areas that "right" or "moral" transcends any particular canon, and it is that truth that the framers of our Constitution understood and so brilliantly codified. For the first time, ever, a government's authority was established as flowing from something other than some Divine authority. That was, to understate it, huge. Let us never forget that, and let us pray that the people in Egypt (and everywhere such light has yet to reach) find their way to such understanding.IMO, The problem lies in the inability to balance God's law(s) with Mans law(s). Both are important to our daily lives, and both can be in harmony with each other. We just don't allow it to happen.
I disagree with all you have to say on the subject of a democratic republic because if you look at the definition of Republic and Democracy separate before combining them you will see what I am saying. The constitution defines how the division happens not what it is.
With respect, "God's law" has no place in secular society. None.
We can call the USA by whatever magical incantation you like ...
No. They don't.All religions have words like the ten commandments that say the same thing as the ten commandments...
No. It won't. Saying to those of your fellow citizens "We're going to enshrine the passage out of my book, because more of us read my book, and besides, it means the same thing," is disrespectful in the extreme to those who revere some other book. Wars are fought over such things. People are dying every day, right now, over such things. The only way to prevent such conflict is to have enough respect for everyone's differing beliefs to avoid such conflicts while striving to find common ground. That should sound familiar....so I think we could put the Buddhist or what ever version in the court house and it will work.
being secular is only having the state not make a state religion not a freedom from religion. As Masons we are secular so we can better work together. It means that all religions have one thing in common the we believe that there is a GAOTU. In the court house the art or text on the wall are there to show history and ideals. Just because it is a Christian quote and not the one you want doesn't mean it is bad to be there. Is it what the ten commandments say that makes someone mad about it because they violated them or is it the morals that they represent.
Secular = freedom of religion not from religion