Speaker says government, religion meant to be separate
Americans are seeing an erosion of the separation between government and religion, said Jim Huff, executive secretary for the Oklahoma chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Huff, who identified himself as Baptist, spoke Oct. 18 at a meeting hosted by the College Democrats.
His topic was separation of church and state.
“I think we have had well over 200 years of peaceful existence because (different religious groups) felt they were being equally treated under the law, because of the First Amendment,” Huff told the approximately 20 students, faculty and community members attending the presentation.
“Now that we’re giving tax dollars to certain faith groups, other groups are saying, ‘Wait a minute, they’re getting dollars and we’re not, and we’re doing the same things.’”
Huff said he believes the current atmosphere in Oklahoma is not supportive of separation of church and state.
“It’s almost become a four-letter word,” he said.
Huff addressed the argument that the words “separation of church and state” are not found in the constitution by encouraging analysis of documents left by the founding fathers.
He provided several handouts containing excerpts from these documents.
One handout contained the 27 “facts” cited by America’s founding fathers as reasons for separating from Great Britain.
Huff challenged the audience to find evidence in the document that America’s founders intended to base their laws on the Christian Bible.
Huff also provided and analyzed parts of the Declaration of Independence. He said he considered the reasons cited for independence to be secular, but invited listeners to dissect the document themselves.
Emergency Medical Sciences sophomore Rodney Johnson, 41, said he attended the presentation after he saw a flier posted on the club board.
“… I thought it was an interesting subject,” he said. “I learned a lot.”
Kitti Asberry, Oklahoma County Democratic Party Chair, and College Democrats of Oklahoma President James Henson also attended.
Asberry said she enjoyed the presentation, although it was not the first time she’d heard Huff speak.
Huff said more information on the topic can be found at www.auok.org.
Club President Elizabeth Aven said College Democrats will next host a speaker from the American Civil Liberties Union at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 30, in room 2P7 of the Main Building.
The club also will hold a bake sale Nov. 1 and 2 to raise money for body armor for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Staff Writer Amanda Bittle can be reached at StaffWriter3@occc.edu.
