Keep gods out of government: Secularism protects both democracy and faith 

Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).

Keep gods out of government: Secularism protects both democracy and faith 

Putting gods in charge of governments turns divine ideals into political failures. Secularism protects faith, freedom, and human responsibility.

By Janet Marugg | FāVS News Columnist

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. 

I cannot say it enough: The fastest way to fail a god is to put them in charge of the government. (Re)dedicating the U.S. as a god’s nation is a divine career-ender. Nothing exposes a powerless, impotent and neglectful god like the suffering of citizens. Just look at all the hard evidence we have of god-government failures — the poverty, illness and disease, ignorance, wars and cultural wars, crime, natural disasters, etc. 

If a god’s (continued) governance is powerless to address civilian suffering, is it worthy of worship? A smart god would refuse the job of yet another failed government employee, and I happen to believe that dumb gods, by definition, are not gods. 

National political power on Earth is always going to be too limiting — too squished into the folds of a human brain for an All Powerful Being of the ever-expanding universe. A national god is a limited god and therefore not a god (also by definition). And why worship a not-god? 

It takes a real god-lover to keep their god to themselves. I always thought my favorite constitution writers were as indifferent to a god as a god was to men, the way they hard-lined that separation between church and state as they did. But now I think perhaps these secular deists loved a god more and couldn’t bear the de-godding by the drudgery of civil governance. 

I think maybe my favorite constitutional writers knew that secularism empowers religious institutions and keeps the government from being in direct competition with the proprietary holdings of the church. If the government has a god-in-charge running things, why would citizens bother with prayer, church services or tithes when they already vote and pay taxes? What is the difference in a theocracy? 

Churches thrive in secularism

Theocracy is a devastating strategy for a god. A benevolent god in charge delivers deep and abiding peace. I can’t help it. The more I see a politician wielding a god around, the more I disbelieve the god for not being any better than the politician. It’s a recipe for a nation of atheists — who, by the way, are welcome in the secular humanist tribe. 

We are nowhere if we can’t see that churches thrive in secular governments. Turns out the secularist Western values of pluralism, personal freedom of conscience, justice, education, art and sciences and human representative government enable a vibrant U.S. religious landscape like a free religious market is supposed to do. 

There are numerous resources for those who need religious permission to be secular. 

• For Christians: The Christians Against Christian Nationalism website— one of the best resources Christian sects and congregations and writers of Christian sermons can use against the bad idea of the government putting a god in charge — and Faithful America.
• For Hindus: Hindus for Human Rights and Hindu American Foundation. 
• For Buddhists: Buddhist Coalition for Democracy and Secular Buddhist Network.
• For Jews: Jews for a Secular Democracy and Jewish Council for Public Affairs. 
• Non-denominational resources: Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Secular Coalition for America. 

(Re)dedicate America to secularism!

Secularism is good for humans. We are born secular; it is natural to us. Earth is an evolutionary system, and secularism forces people to rise to the challenge of modernity and adapt by making wiser and wiser civil changes without waiting for divine intervention or scapegoating failures as a god’s will. 

Besides, people love to blame the government! It’s a national sport, a team identity! 

So, if we are going to (re)dedicate our government to anything, let it be to our secular senses. 

Let us liberate our god(s) to personal conscience undoomed by civil failures — the potholes and poverty, illness and ignorance, by war and oppression. A god kept separate from state governance is a god kept sacred. 

Happy Birthday, Secular U.S.A.!

FāVS News uses professional journalists and thoughtful commentary to explore faith, values and ethics. Support journalism like this by making a tax-deductible donation. FāVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. © FāVS News. All rights reserved. Reproduction permitted only to authorized media partners or with written permission.