Religion versus the State

When I got up this morning the radio show I had turned on was discussing whether or not your first loyalty to should be to the US or your religion.  They seemed to approve of the current crop of candidates and previous presidents who declared their first loyalty to the state.  So I called, and said, "Despite Congress's best efforts they can't get me into heaven."  The hosts, one of whom is a former Congressman, thought it was pretty funny and I seemed to have a positive impact on their conversation.  But I would submit that if you aren't a Catholic first, then you aren't a Catholic.

Comments

[Thomas]

Thank you for your witness. Just think how many people you reached.

[Al T]

Maybe, although the conversation was really directed at Muslims, the first 2 callers were Catholic who said they would follow the government over the teachings of the Faith. At 5:30am that really got me going...

[PeterTerp]

Well put, AT.

Did they bother to ask anyone to whom is the State loyal?

It seems to me that the State ought to exist to preserve the citizens' rights to worship as they see fit within reason. That's the whole point of having a government, right? To protect the things that you think are valuable from being taken away from you?

If you suddenly start giving your loyalty and service to the State as such, then the State only exists to its own ends... and that is how tyranny arises.