Today, when the Bishop of Rome arrived at Andrews AFB, The concept of The Separation of Church and State was violated. Why would a Head of a religion be welcomed in such a manner? This is an Air Force base. Why share this base with a foreign entity, with no regard to any of the citizen's of these United States objections to such use of government property, and affording such tribute.
Well, the situation is unique in that the Bishop of Rome is not only the Pontifex Maximus of the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Prime Minister of the Vatican: Which is the world's smallest (richest) sovereign nation. Here's the quandry: It's a nation, and a religion. So there are conflicts of interests in entertaining and extending full diplomatic courtesies, when doing so would imply promoting a particular religion, to the exclusion of all other religions. This fundamentally is not only inappropriate, but unfair. For The United States of America was primarily founded by Christians who fled to these shores trying to escape the tyranny,
and influence of persecuting churches, such as the Church of Rome, and the Church of England.
Why treat the head of one of the many religions represented in our nation, as royalty? When there are countless other religions in this nation that do not acknowledge the Roman Catholic Church's dogma that claim universal (Divinely appointed temporal power) authority over all of humanity. And this pontiff represents a foreign government with an agenda of subverting the rights of the citizens of this free country. The first Amendment to the Constitution or the Bill of Rights strictly prohibits the sanctioning of a religion:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Besides, the President of the United States takes this oath:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
And if so he should abide by, and uphold the Constitution.
Lastly, I must refer to this article:
U.S. Constitution: Article VI :
...The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
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Arsenio