THE CONSTITUTION PARTY, EDUCATION, THE CHURCH AND THE STATE

This is an important issue to understand so I just stole this post intact from Ioannes at Commentarius de Prognosticis. I'm sure he'll understand.

"Folks,

Regarding this morning's discussion of Archbishop Dolan's permission for politicians supporting pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage to still be allowed to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, it appears that the real issue is his warning "...Tuesday that New Yorkers could get clobbered with even higher taxes if the state continues to default on its school aid promises to Catholic and independent schools." WTEN-TV in Albany, NY reports on this in its article:

Achbishop: NY'ers face higher taxes if more Catholic schools close

In fact, the Archbishop is to meet on this very issue with faux Catholic NY Governor Patterson (who has initiated provisions for the legitimatization of gay marriage in NY State and who supports infantice of the unborn as the right to choose). The Archbishop cannot very well tell Governor Patterson that he is denied Holy Communion and then request fulfillment of promises for State aid in behalf of Catholic schools.

This is the classic example of how collusion between the Body of Christ (i.e., the Church) and Caesar (i.e., the State) always and everywhere leads to unintended consequences. Why should Catholic schools (or any private school for that matter) receive ANY money from the public treasury? Whenever the Church agrees to accept aid from the State, it automatically sacrifices its authority to Caesar. The Church in NY State, now dependent on that State's treasury, cannot truly be independent and proclaim and enforce the Gospel. It owes Caesar its cooperation by virtue of having accepted Caesar's monetary assistance. Whatever happened to Jesus' declaration: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's?"

This is the perfect time to discuss the platform of the US Constitution Party with regard to education. If we return to the principles of the twin pillars of the Bible and the Constitution, Archbishop Dolan wouldn't be in this pickle:

Education


Since the Constitution grants the Federal Government no authority over Education, the 10th Amendment applies:


"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."


All teaching is related to basic assumptions about God and man. Education as a whole, therefore, cannot be separated from religious faith. The law of our Creator assigns the authority and responsibility of educating children to their parents. Education should be free from all federal government subsidies, including vouchers, tax incentives, and loans, except with respect to veterans.


Because the federal government has absolutely no jurisdiction concerning the education of our children, the United States Department of Education should be abolished; all federal legislation related to education should be repealed. No federal laws subsidizing or regulating the education of children should be enacted. Under no circumstances should the federal government be involved in national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel.


Because control over education is now being relegated to departments other than the Department of Education, we clarify that no federal agency, department, board, or other entity may exercise jurisdiction over any aspect of children's upbringing. Education, training, and discipline of children are properly placed in the domain of their parents.


We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. We oppose all legislation from any level of government that would interfere with or restrict that liberty. We support equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools.


So that parents need not defy the law by refusing to send their children to schools of which they disapprove, compulsory attendance laws should be repealed."