America Unraveling

America Unraveling, L. Scott Smith, Father's Press, 2008

This book defends the expression of public faith in America, and has many unpleasant things to say about the present state of American culture.

The Founding Fathers intentionally created a "godless Constitution," because they knew that establishing
any sort of state religion, or mandating religious tests as a prerequisite for holding public office would
ultimately be a really bad idea. But that doesn't mean that religion was not an important part of their lives, because it was. Everyone talks about the line of separation between church and state; it would be helpful if there was one overall definition, on which everyone could agree, as to just where that line is located.

Liberalism and secularism espouse that religion should play no major role in public life. They also promote the neutrality of the state toward religion, and the autonomy of the individual to worship any way they wish. They may sound reasonable, but they certainly haven't worked that way.

In the late 20th century, the US Supreme Court ruled on several high profile cases concerning expression
of public faith. Among them were cases which looked at religion in school. Part of the justification for
bringing the cases through the legal process was that the students involved were coerced into participating,
or made to feel different if they didn't take part. The truth is that there was no coercion at all, and the
students were more than free to not participate. The author also thinks very little of present-day
immigration, which started courtesy of a law passed more than 40 years ago, and is leading to the destruction of Anglo-Christian culture. Multiculturalism says that all religions, and therefore, all religious practices, are equally valid. Does that include female genital mutilation, and the stoning to death of women convicted of adultery?

The author is not advocating that America be turned into a Christian fundamentalist state, or any other type
of religious regime. But, is some expression of public faith in American life really such a bad idea? It is an interesting book that does a good job at staying non-partisan.
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