The International Bible Society paid to insert (simple New York Times registration required) the Christian New Testament into last Sunday’s Colorado Springs Gazette. Oh, my God! (Wait…can’t say that…Oh, no!) Aly ColÃ?Â??Ã?Â?Ã?³n, who claims to “teach ethics” responded that
the Bible takes on some additional meanings at times like this, as people are trying to balance religious freedoms and concern about the separation of church and state.
That sounds like one really thick “ethicist.” The members of the International Bible Society and the owners of the Colorado Springs Gazette were exercising those freedoms when they made an exchange to distribute copies of a religious tract in their paper. And the principle is “separation of church and state,” not “separation of church and printing press.”
Thicker yet was Mary Simon, administrator of a synagogue in the city, who complained about the distribution of the tract in a newspaper,
This is more than a busines choice. This is precisely and actively trying to bring people to their position, which they have a right to do, but not in my house. That is my sacred space and they can’t invade it, which they did.
What a silly claim. Had the members of the International Bible Society broken down her door, that would have been an invasion of her house. Buying an advertisement wasn’t. Is it an invasion of her house when she turns on the radio and hears church hymns? If she doesn’t like it, she should turn to another station. And if she is so upset about getting a tract in your paper, she should cancel her subscription, as 5 subscribers did.
I’m not a theist, so I’ve no dog in this fight. But I’d like to think that people who “teach ethics” and administer synagogues would be smarter than that. If a newspaper contracts to carry Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Scientologist, or atheist tracts, or to publish editorials with religious content, that has nothing at all to do with the separation or church and state, other than that the state has no business in the matter beyond enforcing contracts and upholding the equal freedom of all to do the same.
Anyway, the Christian-bashers should lighten up. Why be so afraid of attempts to persuade?