The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons Propose an American Theocracy

If you check “About Us” on the web site of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, you’ll find very little about the organization. Although they do make it a point to claim they are non-partisan. Here is the first half of two paragraphs found on their page:

“The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons – AAPS – is a non-partisan professional association of physicians in all types of practices and specialties across the country.”

Visit their press Room to get an idea of what they mean by this. Not only do they promote Fox News and use talking points like “liberal elite media” and “Obamacare,” they openly and adamantly advocate the most right-leaning political ideologies. A good example is a piece I found on their website which appeared in their newsletter, the Medical Sentinal. In this piece, entitled “Religion, Politics, and the Constitution,” the author, Dr. Curtis W. Caine, advocates – short of using the word – the conversion of America into a theocracy.

I have included the article here with my commentary: (The story is in bold and my comments are below each section is normal text) The original piece can be found at the AAPS site here: http://www.aapsonline.org/jpands/hacienda/caine14.html

Religion, Politics, and the Constitution (Part I)

Curtis W. Caine, MD

 This column on the Constitution appears in the Medical Sentinel to remind us that it is the unConstitutional (and thus illegal) activities in medicine and all other facets of our lives that have trampled on and outlawed our God-endowed freedom and liberty.

 I often hear (am told): 1. “our church may not mix politics with religion,” or 2. “the Constitution declares ‘separation of church and state’ which means our church must not dabble in politics,” and 3. “if we have anything to do with politics our church will lose its tax exempt status.”

My response to the first two points is “hogwash.” The Constitution doesn’t say either, and neither does Scripture. And these two documents are the “Law of the Land” in both spheres.

One has to wonder what “sphere” this lunatic lives in. It is true that the constitution does not “say either.” But if a church wants to get money from the government in the form of tax exemption – yes, tax exemption is the equivalent of government subsidization – then the church cannot use that government money to interfere with politics. The church is a church by definition because of its theological purpose – not political purpose. Once a church uses the influence it has on its parishioners to promote a specific political agenda, it becomes a danger to the constitution. As we all know, the first thing the church would do in a position of political authority would be to make an establishment of their religion, trampling the religious freedoms of all who do not share their beliefs. The 1st Amendment of the Constitution is not only about freedom OF religion. It’s also about freedom FROM religion. The United States of America was very purposefully established as a secular nation. And anyone who understands religious oppression and the history of the first settlers knows exactly why the U.S. was established as such. Dr. Caine is either ignorant of history or chooses to ignore it.

Here verbatim is what Amendment I to the Constitution actually says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” [Emphasis added.] This brings us back to etymology.(1) Particularly note the little word “an”; it is not “the.” If the text had read “…no law respecting the establishment…” (which is the way most people [mis]quote the reference), the proscription would have to do with federal law governing the tenets of a church. Were this the case, a church building and lot would still be the property of the local/area congregation/corporation/synod/diocese, but its doctrines (private) would be directed by the government (public), i.e., fascism (public/private “partnership”).

What Dr. Caine refers to by touching upon the word “an establishment” vs. “the establishment” is that by using the word “the” – which is NOT the case – the U.S. would be specifically ruling out the possibility of becoming a theocracy. He makes this clear to illuminate the fact that to him this means the U.S. CAN become a theocracy.

However, it reads “…AN establishment…” So, the Fed may neither establish an official Church of/for the United States, paralleling the official Church of England – a government church, i.e. a branch of the government. Nor may the Fed oversee the tenants of a church; but it has.

The U.S. Federal government only “oversees the tenets” of churches in that it will not aloow them to force their way into the public. This is in keeping with the 1st Amendment and completely within the power of the people (government). This is the protection we have against religious zealots like Dr. Caine.

Though it lacks the authority to do so, it has arrogantly usurped the power and done so. The official illegally promoted church in America is secular atheist humanism. (More etymology — not atheistic humanism, which means “smacks of atheism” or “a little like atheism”; but straight out-and-out atheism = atheist humanism — without the “ic.”)

Here we have an example of a man who is clearly very well educated as he has obtained the degrees necessary to call himself a “Doctor” and practice medicine. And yet he is completely ignorant concerning something which lies well within an area of his interest – GREAT interest – which is religion. He makes his fatal mistake when he calls atheism a religion. It would seem that a man so caught up in word meanings would at least understand the etymology of the word “atheist.” But he doesn’t. He uses the mythical definition like so many other ideas tossed around the church.

The fact that government is secular does not imply that the government is biased toward any particular ideology. In fact, this is exactly what “secular” means. Dr. Caine is making the same mistake many religious fundamentalists make which is to deny that secular morality exists. It exists despite theism and atheism. It exists because we the people want it to. Morality is innate. Religion is something Americans are free to practice in their private lives in whatever way and concerning whichever god(s) (or none at all) they wish. But in our public lives we are all AMERICANS. Secular morality supports this idea. And the American way is evidence which supports secular morality.

The problem with arguments like like Dr. Caine’s is that when you prove, as we have in America, that concern for your fellow man can and does exist without the need for dogma it severely weakens the cause of the church. The church which is a self-described authority in opposition to democracy which makes threats from a position of assumed moral authorirty that only by accepting their God can morality exist. One of the biggest problems for religion in recent history is the progress made by people who concerned themselves with true freedoms and edowed us with the tools to go beyond superstition and to build a great society based on a living breathing innate morality which transcends beyond anything we have yet to know. Only by being freed from shackles of dogma can man demonstrate his true potential. And we have demonstrated this.

In the body of the Constitution, the States had already delegated to the federal central government NO authority to be in religion, education, health, welfare, power, banking, agriculture, etc.(2) Not being delegated to the federal government, the creator States thereby FORBADE activity in these areas. But the Colonists (well learned in history) were so fearful of government oppression from which they had fled in Europe, and under which they were currently suffering from the Crown even in America, that they prophetically insisted on the double protection, redundantly repeated, in the Bill of Rights.(3) They wanted the assurance of both a belt (the Constitution) and suspenders/galluses (the Bill of Rights) to make darn sure their pants didn’t fall, leaving them unprotected — naked to tyranny.

That is the “Constitution, plain and simple.” But big government proponents, collectivists, socialists and their ilk have brazenly overruled the Founders and made an end run around the Constitution by arrogating to themselves, usurping, the power, without authority, to function in these prohibited areas. Today, these usurpations comprise 80 percent of the federal government’s activities.

Our system of government is designed in such a way that it is we the people who must shape it. The fact that we have the right to do this through our collective will is what makes this nation so great. When we decided to educate our people in an effort to rise to the ranks of intellectual superiority, we created one of the most respected work forces the world has known. And we excelled in areas of science and medicine, a differentiator that made us so great in comparison to competing nations. Our institutions of learning are unrivaled. This is a great accomplishment. Public education works when we place importance on it. Someday we will finish the job by also providing every American with protections which promote better health. Something which organizations such as AAPS fears will topple their authority over the health of others. An authority they ruthlessly exercise by amassing great wealth due to the misfortunes of others, denying those who cannot afford proper medical treatment. The irony here being how anti-Christian it is to allow the control of the health of a nation to fall into the greedy bloody hands of the best known example of Social Darwinism – the American Corporation.

As far as #3 — tax exemption — is concerned, the central government has expropriated the prerogative to threaten to tax churches as the means of blackmailing churches into shutting their mouths, and it has done so very effectively. Honor and integrity demand that churches pay the tax and boldly speak out, anyway.

Religion has no place in American politics. I will fight to the death to see that my country remains a secular FREE nation as many good Americans before me have and many who read this would. Why does Dr. Caine want so badly for churches to push their weight into politics? What good could come from alienating all non-Christians in America? How could any educated person who has studied history want to live in a theocracy? Is this simply clan mentality? Does this man believe that by pushing the weight of a group that he identifies with he will be safer? Happier? Wealthier? More powerful? Luckily for us, our nation was founded on principals CONTRARY to the desires of this dangerous fundamentalist.

The last thing too many politicians want is strict enforcement of God’s Law..

AMEN! Especially when the first three of this god’s ten short commandments are to glorify itself!

..and/or the Constitution because doing so would cramp their style, to wit: a.) Thou shall not bear false witness, vis-à-vis, a non-existent “surplus,” or the “Davidians set the fire” in Waco; b) Thou shall not steal, vis-à-vis, welfare, which is theft (legal plunder); c) Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain, vis-à-vis, oath taken “So help me, God” and then the vow is broken; d) Thou shall not commit adultery, vis-à-vis ….?; e) Thou shall do no murder, vis-à-vis, government-sanctioned, protected, and financed abortion, etc, et cetera.

Where do I start? Dr. Caine has his own definition for just about everything. Abortion is murder but war is not? it’s quite convenient how Dr. Caine interprets his god’s laws. When I think of false witness, I can’t help but to think of how many innocent black men were strangled to death by the false witness of white religious liars. When I think of thou shall not steal, I think of churches building wealth from the contributions of some of the poorest and most desperate people among us. And I am saddened and sickened that Dr. Caines’ God didn’t make an eleventh commandment “thou shall not sodomize little boys.” But I’m sure that wouldn’t have stopped them. Murder is a commandment and the church has murdered plenty.

The lying, cheating, amoral, illegal tyranny under which we now suffer from the imperial “Crown in Washington” can be traced directly to its premeditated, intentional silencing/removal of religion and churches from the political arena by intimidation, taxation threat, political correctness, social/cultural Marxism for the express purpose of banishing modern Nathans (God’s men) who are pointing their fingers at the bureaucrats (the king David politicians) and saying ” ‘thou art the man’ (2 Samuel 12:7) breaking God’s Law and the U.S. Constitution. You must stop for we will allow no more of it.” 

The lying, cheating, amoral, illegal tyranny under which people have always suffered from religion can be traced directly to its premeditated, intentional silencing/removal of freedoms from all men by intimidation, death threat, religious correctness, and social/cultural hijacking for the express purpose of banishing modern secular humanists who are pointing their fingers at the church and saying ” ‘thou art the man threatening human intellect and the U.S. Constitution. You must stop for we will allow no more of it.” 

The religion-motivated Founders of our Constitutional (not democratic) Republic told the Crown in London “NO” over two hundred years ago. When are the churches in these United States today going to exhort those in the pews to tell the abusers in Washington, “NO”? This is less likely to happen until the clergy repeat history and counsel and encourage their congregations to do so. Why not? And why not now?

The founders of this great nation were SO religious that they very deliberately built a secular government. Come on, Dr. Caine. What you are suggesting is a “Disney” rewrite of history. I would expect much more from a doctor. This is not a cartoon. This is the greatest political system ever conceived. And it works PRECISELY because it is free from the imposition of religious dogma. And because it is designed by and for the PEOPLE. Not some GOD!

America exists and liberty is supposed to prevail because for several decades in the 1600s and 1700s freedom from oppressive government was extolled from the pulpits of the land, culminating in the Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the Crown of England.

This is pure fabricated bullshit. Early Americans gathered in churches for many reasons. To keep warm. To meet women. To socialize. To communicate their discontent in a safe haven (no one could stop people from gathering at church). Many agnostics and atheists attended church. To say that the church solely is to credit for the success of building a secular nation is ludicrous. Yes, the churches did help to enforce freedom from religion. And they did to themselves out of fear of another brand of Christianity gaining too much political power. They did it because they can’t even get along with other people who pray to the same God and the same son of God. The divisive power of organized religion should serve as a prime example of how contrary theism is to the secular ideals of UNIFICATION this nation was built upon.

I am further told, “If you can show me anywhere in the New Testament where Jesus said that a church should speak out on politics, then I/we will.” At this point I am referred to Mark 12:17, “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. QED!” But, of course, this reference is in no way germane to the topic at issue. Does Caesar own our children being “sex (mis)educated” in grade school? Of course not. Do the unborn made in God’s image belong to Caesar for him to dismember? Of course not. The question is not either one or the other, but both, as God assigned.

I am puzzled as to the relation of Dr. Caine’s sex education issues and the Constitution. And now I’m curious; how is the government mis-educating people concerning sex? I was educated in a public school and when I learned sex education it was about human reproduction – not the act of sex. We were educated on contraceptives which are related to sexual activity. But the education was about the sex organs and reproductive function. You know, ejaculation and menstruation and fertilization and gestation and so on. So far I have not read nor discussed anything which counters my knowledge and so I am happy to know that my education on the matter was right on mark.

As for Jesus making any pronouncements about church and state, who cares? For Dr. Caine to imply that religion has any say in government, he would also be inviting the imposition of what Mohammad has to say about church and government. What Buddha says, what Krishna says, what every religion says. I think a huge disconnect from reality for many Christians is the fact that no one religion has any special privilege in interpreting U.S. law. We are a secular nation and Dr. Caine’s deities have no jurisdiction.

The New Testament is replete with supporting references. Take John 14:15, for instance, which records that the Law Giver, Himself, said, “If you love me keep my commandments.” And Romans 10:14-15 outlines that preachers are to inveigh against the breaking of, and the breakers of, “my commandments.” Ephesians 6:11-17 instructs us to do battle “…against the rulers of the darkness of this world.” Not to cower, but to fight.

 This incessant recital of ancient writings is relavant to the U.S. Constitutiton how?

Alexis de Tocqueville, in commenting on America’s love for freedom and religion, stated:

I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors…; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution.

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.

Funny. The French are anti-American concerning all matters as far as the conservative right are concerned. I cin’t help but to think of “freedom fries” as read this. But when it comes time to give an outsider’s view of America from a religious perspective, bring in the French! …

The word “politics” is used by apologists as a prejudicial term, denoting bad/evil. Whereas “religion/church” is supposed to conjure up thoughts of good/right/noble. This myth self-destructs when we study history which records that the worst of evils throughout the millennia have been fostered by “churches” under the color of religion. It is not so much that politics corrupts religion, but, on the contrary, without religion, politics is corrupt, ipso facto.

And thus the reason why the greatest nation in history is a secular nation? This makes absolutely no sense at all. Religion is not welcome in my public places. NO religion. Not Dr. Caines, not anyone’s. This is one of the greatest features of America. I can visit a Buddhist temple and know that Christianity did not filter their message. I can go outside and yell “there is no god” and no one is going to jail me or KILL me! But we have lots of work ahead of us in removing religious symbolism from public places. The church has broken our laws and forced their ideas in public places where they don’t belong. Removing them should be a priority for all Americans who appreciate our Constitution. Either that or include ALL symbolism. I am not against any particular symbolism but rather favoritism of one over another.

Do not forget! Remember! The ultimate authority of, control by, and power of civil government is DEATH. The proper exercise of this power is justice — differentiated/demarcated from its improper use, which then is tyranny, murder, slaughter, barbarism. And/but this dichotomy is inextricably tied to right versus wrong — religion, id est, Jehovah God and consequently His Law. Hence, for civil government (“politics”) to be à propos, religion (“church,” if you please) must be involved. When church is involved in civil affairs (politics), death by government is more likely to be justice. When church is not involved, death by government is more likely to be murder. The vicissitudes of history, as well as logic and common sense, support this thesis. Higgaion. Selah. Psalms 9:16.

Here is where Dr. Caine advocates turning the united States into an outright theocracy. He, like many others who call themselves “American,” would like nothing better than to dismantle our political system, replace government with church, secular laws with the laws of HIS god and make America into a place where questioning his god is a crime in itself. People like Dr. Caine are the worst enemies of America. Not because they threaten to bomb buildings or take hostages. Because they are a cancer that eats at the fabric of this nation from within. Because many of the religious don’t see difference in ideologies and just assume all “Christians” are like them.  Because they aim to change our government into something contrary to the wishes of our founding fathers who, regardless of faith, made every effort to make very clear how important it is that the United States of America is a secular nation and that every person has the individual right to practice whatever religion they choose, including NO religion, without their government deciding for them or favoring one religion over another.

It takes only common sense to understand the true intent of the1st Amendment. Endorsement by government of any religion as a public policy sends a clear message to those of different beliefs that they are not true Americans and do not have the same freedoms or rights. You cannot unite a people in a theocracy other than by childhood indoctrination and/or sheer force. The “force” of our democracy is “We the People” – not “He the God.” We are not and will never be a theocracy as long as we Americans hold fast to the idea of freedom of and from religion. We shall not allow churches to control politics while benefiting from government subsidy in the form of tax exemption. If we do, we are essentially funding the types of theocratic movements Dr. Caine advocates from his pulpit as a venerated voice for the dissident group known as the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.