Is the Constitution just a non denominational religion?

[Braznor]

Consider the similarities :

1. Both are doctrines of faith and law. In religion you have faith in God and his representatives and their roles as upholders of morality and justice, similarly in case of the Constitution you have faith in the legal machinery which upholds the spirit of the document.

2. Both are documents which confer advantages upon the Individual who is covered by them. Constitution gives Bill of Rights and Religion gives the advantages of the faithful and the glory of heaven in afterlife.

3. Both punish the violators. The believer of religion is threatened with hell and the believer of the Constitution is threatened with prison.

And so on.

So is the Constitution just a non denominational religion?

 

[Crono]

No, it's a set of beliefs meant to serve as the foundation for the nation's laws.

Religions can have laws, but they point to a deity or higher force for people to worship and serve.
Laws serve man - or at least they should.

 

[Braznor]

No, it's a set of laws.

Relgiions can have laws, but they point to a deity or higher force for people to serve.
Laws serve man - or at least they should.

What is the government, if not a higher force?

 

[Crono]

What is the government, if not a higher force?

It's a lower force, especially in a democracy. It's meant to represent us, not a god, or gods, or the universe (which is essentially what the object of worship is any religion).
The government is a system of the people, whether it represents itself higher than that or not.

In dictatorships, often times the dictator becomes crazed enough to believe and proclaim that he is a god. In that sense, the government can become a religion. And for some governments in the past, the government becomes a theocracy and a state religion (or aggressive atheism, as in the case of communism) is implemented. But not so much in the United States or the western world at this time.

You can go back further than the Constitution for an example. The Code of Hammurabi was for practical rule of the land, a secular and not a religious document.
On the other hand, the laws of the Old Testament were religious in nature.

 

[Braznor]

It's a lower force, especially in a democracy. It's meant to represent us, not a god, or gods, or the universe (which is essentially what the object of worship is any religion).
The government is a system of the people, whether it represents itself higher than that or not.

In dictatorships, often times the dictator becomes crazed enough to believe and proclaim that he is a god. In that sense, the government can become a religion. And for some governments in the past, the government becomes a theocracy and a state religion (or aggressive atheism, as in the case of communism) is implemented. But not so much in the United States or the western world.

The government is supposed to serve the people.

Excellent point, but when did it ever happen, apart from rare accidents in history? When have governments even in a democracy like yours have ever served the common man?

 

[Crono]

The government is supposed to serve the people.

Excellent point, but when did it ever happen, apart from rare accidents in history? When have governments even in a democracy like yours have ever served the common man?

It's the goal, and actually for the most part governments do serve us. Both to provide us with protection and service common needs (roads, bridges, national defense, etc). Each government exists not for the good of all mankind (unfortunately) but for its respective area.

But corruption and the desire for power among individuals and groups is always present. It's the reason revolutions take place, and bring down corrupt and inefficient governments. It's a bloody and evil world we live in.