CACR28

I support separation of Church and State. No special protections for Christians required. All religions must be respected!

This is in direct violation of the constitution and separation of church and state.

The traditional, secular, and democratic nature of public education is undermined when public money is used to promote religious doctrine. This type of legal shift suggests a potential end to the traditional interpretation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, making public funds directly support religious education. It changes public education from a common good available to all into a system that subsidizes private, faith-based instruction. I oppose this bill

Separation of church and state. That is all. That should be more than enough.

What happened to separation of church and state!

I am opposed to this bill. We are not all worshipers of evangelical principles. This is a crazy bill and whomever proposed this should be censured. I find this bill offensive and not what NH is about.

Bizarre, unconstitutional.

Keep religion out of school! It’s what this country stands for.

Please oppose this unconstitutional support of a particular dogma.

I am a "Christian" and I totally oppose this bill. The separation of church and state says it is illegal! So is the school voucher fiasco! Lewis Whittum Keene, NH

This is a bad idea

I strongly oppose CACR28 because it risks undermining separation of church and state, threatens inclusive public education, and could enable discriminatory or exclusionary teaching practices

One of the strongest elements of our democracy, and one of the founding principles of the United States, is the separation between church (all churches) and state. The proposed language change would make the NH constitution fall out of line with our federal constitution and would eliminate that line between church and state. This is not a valid change to our state constitution, and it is not one that benefits any members of the NH public. Parents are already free to educate their children in whatever religion they deem fit - there is no need for them to institute the teaching of ANY religion in public schools, and certainly not one specific narrow religious belief system. This suggested change is sickening, unpatriotic, and I am vehemently opposed to it.

Freedom of religion is one of the most important tenets of a free America. I support anyone practicing any religion they choose - but this should NEVER be forced upon those that do not follow that same religion. I strongly opposed this bill. We are a Live Free or Die state for a reason. Vote this down!

Let's keep religion out of politics, in accordance with the US Constitution

The current constitution reflects my values in it's language regarding the right to pursue a relationship with the divine, and to hire teachers that share the values of my group or community. The proposed change narrows the rights of citizens who are not Christian and threatens to bring Evangelical ideology directly into our public schools. Branding this as a security measure smacks of anti immigrant racism. -In my opinion, of course.

This country wasn't founded on one religion. One religion should not be chosen over another. All religions should be equal to each other as in the Constitution!

If the proponents of this amendment truly want a more “Christian” society, then they should advocate for helping the poor, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger. (See Matthew 25: 35) Instead, the sponsors of this bill, all republicans, belong to a political party that actively opposes all these Christian values. I’m all for a more moral and just society. But historically, theocratic governments do not improve the morality of a society, and instead tend to suppress personal liberties and marginalize minorities.

Keep centralized religion out of our schools and out of our country. All religions are welcome and equal, no teachings of one are any more appropriate or accepted than of the rest. Shame on those seeking to sneak this amendment past our public. Shame on you.

I'm writing to express my VERY STRONG opposition to CACR28. Efforts to establish state religion are contrary to the founding principles of our country and are inherently unconstitutional. I am a Christian (Episcopalian), but I don't believe my faith, or anyone else's, should govern us at the state or national level. "Morality" and "piety" are subjective ideas, and enshrining the definitions of those ideas belonging to one religious group in our state constitution is inappropriate. NH citizens shouldn't be forced to live according to the ideas of evangelical Christians, any more than they should be forced to live according to the ideas of Satanists. This is the Live Free or Die state, not the "Live According to One Group's Idea of Freedom" state. Let's keep it that way. Please vote against this un-American amendment.

THE US Constitution is grounded in the Freedom of Religion and the separation of church and state. The state of NH should not be trying to undo 250 years of this democracy. You want to talk about piety and morality? How about defending our Constitutional rights? Isn't that MORAL? I STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL. And furthermore, ANY legislator who votes FOR this, should be required to take a US Civics course or step down immediately.

Separation of church and state is the principal we need to abide by.

This proposed change contradicts the first amendment of the US Constitution, which establishes freedom of religion. Freedom of religion is part of the Bill of Rights. This proposed change reeks of Christian Nationalism, which I vehemently oppose.

It is wholly inappropriate to insert particular religious beliefs in this manner. This country was founded on principles that emphasize freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion. The separation of church and state is fundamental in the establishment and protection of freedom for all.

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States confirms that “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.” The separation of church and state is a fundamental principle that has been at the core of many democratic societies around the world. It defends against religious discrimination, preserves individual freedom and calls for governmental neutrality. New Hampshire's motto is "Live Free or Die" state, so this is particularly relevant to this state's residents to whom Freedom is paramount. The separation of church and state is to safeguard religious freedom for all citizens. To quote Rick Warren, “A truly free society protects all faiths, and true faith protects a free society.” A society that values and respects diverse religious perspectives is more likely to cultivate respect, understanding and social harmony. Separation of church and state also safeguards the autonomy and integrity of religious organizations and spiritual communities. Government decisions should be based on reason, evidence and the common good of all citizens, not on the religious dogma of a specific group. Separation of church and state provides a path for policies and legislation to be formulated through a rational and democratic process, driven by the needs and objectives of the entire population. This strengthens the foundation of good governance and encourages leaders to make informed choices that benefit our nation. The principle of separation of church and state is not an attack on religion but a protection of religious freedom and individual rights. By maintaining this distinction, we uphold the values of democracy and equality. I do not support this bill because of these reasons, so therefore, I vote NO.