CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Cory Burnell wants to set up a Christian nation within the United States where abortion is illegal, gay marriage is banned, schools cannot teach evolution, children can pray to Jesus in public schools and the Ten Commandments are posted publicly.

To that end, Burnell, 29, left the Republican Party, moved from California and founded Christian Exodus two years ago with the goal of redirecting the United States by "redeeming" one state at a time.

First up for redemption is South Carolina.


Burnell hopes to move 2,500 Christians into the northern part of the state by next year and to persuade tens of thousands to relocate by 2016. His goal is to fill the state legislature with "Christian constitutionalists."

More at http://reuters.excite.com/article/20051024/2005-10-24T151346Z_01_MOL358438_RTRIDST_0_ODD-RELIGION-SECESSION-DC.html

If we look to the Puritan days of the past, the attempt to set up Christian sections do not have a positive outcome.

Roger Williams, who coined the idea of separation of church and state, believed that religion should not be legistated. At the time there were those who believed one should be a (fill in here the Puritan sect) member to be able to hold political office. Williams said they should be separate.

I know the concept has been warped and corrupted, but it's conception was actually Christian in origin.

[This message has been edited by The Lone Stranger (edited 10/24/2005 7:58p).]

dumb idea, will NOT work. The Baptists would raise hell if things were done the RCC way and likewise.

This guy is a fool.

students are never prevented from praying in school

I think he means students will pray in public schools.

a student can pray whenever they want to

why do they need a set aside time for it?

TA73, have you started packing your bags yet? This sounds like it's right up your alley.

Beware of what you wish you Texasag73...The Westminster Chatechism was taught, by law back then, not Roman Catholic stuff...At the time RCism was considered a real threat to our form of government, and not without good reason.
I can point you to some info on it if you would like...


[This message has been edited by Notafraid (edited 10/24/2005 11:00p).]

Tanya,

They can, but that doesn't mean they will. If this guy gets his way, they will be praying, whether they like it or not.

Hey wait a minute - I like the way the USA was set up originally, before the Supreme Court started changing it...Besides, Texas is the only place to live....

I think it's ironic that South Carolina, where the Civil War started, is the place where they will try this...

Not only is it dumb and un-American, it's down right scary. And will get even scarier if significant numbers of people follow this loon.

As long as there are math tests, there will be prayer in school.

[This message has been edited by DayDuck91 (edited 10/25/2005 11:25a).]

Alright, that's actually not bad DayDuck.

What's the end game? Are they planning for an armed secession, or do they think the US will quietly let them go in the night?

Don't most of do this kind of thing? We typically pick a neighborhood where we want to live because we have a lot of things in common with the other residents.

The only shared interest with neighbors I've ever considered is the interest in a nice home in my price range and convenient location. Beyond that, I've never really considered if they're Christians or Democrats or NASCAR fans. I really don't care so long as they cut their yards.

[This message has been edited by DamnGood'88 (edited 10/25/2005 4:34p).]

I might be being a tad paranoid, but this was a Reuter's article. They are not exactly fond of Christian conservatives.

To me it looks like a spook article. They take some kook who has received only passing mention local reps and act like he is going to start another Civil War. I particularly liked the "catch your attention" opening.

quote:

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Cory Burnell wants to set up a Christian nation within the United States where abortion is illegal, gay marriage is banned, schools cannot teach evolution, children can pray to Jesus in public schools and the Ten Commandments are posted publicly.

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Gay marriage is already banned in 49 states, and people can pray anywhere they want. The only changes are those bolded.

Look clearly at the despotism planned by right-wing lunatics ushering in a Christian sharia law. Scary. [/sarcasm]

I'm just wondering why he chose South Carolina to start with. Guess he doesn't like a challenge.

Maybe SC will counter all of the liberals that have moved to California and made it into what it is today...

quote:

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ChristianExodus.org is coordinating the move of thousands of Christians to South Carolina for the express purpose of re-establishing Godly, constitutional government. It is evident that the U.S. Constitution has been abandoned under our current federal system, and the efforts of Christian activism to restore our Godly republic have proven futile over the past three decades. The time has come for Christians to withdraw our consent from the current federal government and re-introduce the Christian principles once so predominant in America to a sovereign State like South Carolina.

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www.christianexodus.org

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Why was South Carolina chosen?

South Carolina was chosen as our destination State for the following reasons:

1. It already has a conservative Christian electorate.
2. It is the second smallest State in the Bible Belt in terms of population.
3. It is geographically small with a central capital, thereby making Statewide political coordination much more efficient.
4. In the University of North Carolina's Southern Focus Poll, approximately 16% of South Carolinians believed the South would be better off with its own government. It's the State with the highest response rate in the affirmative.
5. It is deemed a "free sovereign and independent state" in the Paris Peacy Treaty of 1783. No legal document can be produced to demonstrate that its existence as such has ever terminated. The U.S. Constitution is merely a delegation of these sovereign powers and nowhere is such delegation represented as absolutely permanent.
6. Three of the original 13 States (New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia) reserved the right of secession in their ratification documents of the U.S. Constitution. It being a right for those three necessitates it being a right to all equal parties in the compact, including South Carolina.
7. It has coastline and harbors.
8. It has no dominant liberal urban centers.
9. It has mountains.
10. It has an $8 billion annual tourism industry demonstrating its aesthetic desirability.
11. It has urban centers large enough to provide sufficient employment.

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http://www.christianexodus.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=FAQ&file=index&myfaq=yes&id_cat=1#19

Under the consitution's Establishment Clause, the Federal government may not establish a "state church". Individual states are not prohibited from doing so, however. I think Connecticut was the last state to have an established church, and if I'm not mistaken, that existed past 1810.

Simply put, Burell will not be able to pull it off. It will never happen.

Roger Williams did not favor a separation of Church and State, he favored religious freedom where all were allowed to worship as they pleased. If he was still in his grave, he'd be rolling over hearing anyone say that.

9. It has mountains.

these guys must be John Denver fans!

The mountain thing really struck me as odd as well.

If he's gonna attract the good simple folk of Kentucky, they're gonna need mountains to live in.

quote:

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Roger Williams did not favor a separation of Church and State, he favored religious freedom where all were allowed to worship as they pleased. If he was still in his grave, he'd be rolling over hearing anyone say that.

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Religous freedom cannot be guaranteed without a reasonable level of seperation between church and state.

Why not start with NY, Conn., and Mass.

quote:

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Individual states are not prohibited from doing so, however.

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If the amendments had stopped after the first, you'd be correct.

quote:

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Roger Williams did not favor a separation of Church and State, he favored religious freedom where all were allowed to worship as they pleased. If he was still in his grave, he'd be rolling over hearing anyone say that.

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It was Roger that did not believe that one should have to be a member of a certain protestant demomination to engage in political office. He believed that your particular affalitation was not an issue. That is the beginning of the idea.