Plymouth Herald

[Il Terra Di Agea]

[b][size="4"]Christian Coalition Calls for New Religious Focus by Government[/size][/b]
Hotly contesting recent plans by President Campbell to make Plymouth an entirely secular nation, the Plymouth Christians Coalition has called for a new, more religion oriented focus of the government.

The Coalition, a fringe group with a membership of nearly 2000 individuals, staged a large protest in the capitol, with an estimated 300 members in active attendance.

Among the issues raised by the PCC are a ban on abortion, a ban on homosexual marriage, and the implementation of Christian values in public schools. Raymond Smith, current head of the Coalition has stated in interviews that "[i]The pilgrims that first landed on Plymouth were protestants, good, god-fearing people. We have founded our nation on the principles laid down when those first Christian steps were lain on our soil, but we refuse to recognize that the guiding force behind their actions was the love of God. To hold these settlers in high regard, but not embrace their values is as if we were to simple disregard our history entirely.[/i]"

[center][IMG]http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd337/Voi-Asino/HeathenPlymouthProtest.png[/IMG]
[i]PCC Protesters March through New Haven[/i][/center]

The government has remained absolute that the nation will stand by its principle that the doings of the government shall neither impede, nor support any religion, established or otherwise. "[i]Plymouth is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,[/i]" Said President Campbell in a press release this Friday, "[i]We are a nation founded on principles, and yes, some of those principles do overlay with those of Christianity. It is common knowledge that I am a Christian, and my beliefs, my morals, do often effect my decisions as president, however I would never use my position as a means to spread my faith, as such would be the penultimate disgrace to my faith. Christianity is a religion founded on tolerance, we were born of the Jewish faith, and expanded, changed under Jesus, who told us to do unto others as we would have done onto us. I would no sooner force my faith onto another person as I would beat or berate them. My faith is my own, and the faith of our citizens is their own. The government has no right to step into the fundamental right to freedom of religion, and so long as I remain president of this fine nation, I will not sit idly by if it begins to turn into a theocracy. A theocracy turns religion into a tool of oppression, and the Christian Coalition would want nothing more than to allow it to become so. I will not, and I believe I speak for the whole of the Parliament in this case, support any bill that will force a faith onto a people who do not wish it. A nation founded in the pursuit of freedom cannot make such a claim if it forces thoughts upon its people.[/i]"

Though relatively small in number, the PCC has brought new attention to the battle around the place of religion in Plymouth's government, an issue that has been present since our Declaration of Independence, and an issue that will likely remain pertinent far into the future.