Special Initiative Group #3
Separation of Religion and Government
(Brights Action SRG)
This Brights Action SIG is set up expressly to enable a self-designated portion of the Brights constituency to assert its preference for a robust demarcation between religion and government. The following statement summarizes the statement set out for endorsement:
“I oppose departures from governmental neutrality that privilege any religion over others or privilege religion generally over nonreligion, and I oppose all efforts to use governmental power to coerce anyone to support, take part in or fund religion.”
Any Bright who signs into this group backs the preceding statement.
Advantages of Brights Action on This Issue
With knowledge that an individual has endorsed the above statement, Brights Central will be able to count that person as having vouched for a strong secular position of “rigorous separation of religion and government,” opposing all efforts to erode governmental neutrality regardless of reason (e.g., religiously-motivated, ill-informed). BC will thereby be able to take speedy action in specific reply to issues as they arise. The more people who sign into this SIG, the larger the quoted number (N) of Brights and the louder the advocacy voice will be.
SIG Membership: Any Bright
SIG Leadership: Brights Central
Brights Central will occasionally acquaint members with a circumstance and suggest or facilitate an individual action consistent with the above statement. When disseminating a position statement is feasible in terms of time and resources, BC may formulate and issue such a statement on behalf of the (N) membership. [Examples: “The policy that X proposes is supported by 16,421 Brights” Or: “16,421 Brights oppose this action.]
Whenever time permits, BC will contact a slice of the SIG membership to obtain the counsel/feedback advantageous to shaping an action proposal or wording a position statement.
The Governmental Neutrality Issue
The Brights’ Net interpretation of authentic neutrality is that government is forbidden to actually or effectively favor one religion over another, or to favor religious individuals over those free of religion and vice-versa. Governmental actions should have a secular purpose. They should not have the principal effect of advancing or inhibiting religion. Neither are governmental actions to link one's type of worldview to his or her standing in the political community or send a message to some citizens that they are not full members of the political community and to others that they are favored members of the political community.
You must be a registered Bright to belong to this (or any other) Brights Action SIG.
If you are not interested in SIG-3, please be aware that the group will not be representing the Brights’ Net constituency (that includes you). The members of any SIG group represent only the specific membership registered in that SIG.
