Dear Ipso Fatso,

«There must be a distinct separation between church and state.»

So far so good, I agree.

«The state should always prevail.»

God and His laws always prevail, no matter what states try.
No matter what states legislate, apples will keep falling down to earth and not up to the moon!

And those who do evil will inescapably suffer as a result: this is built into this universe, no human-made law is required for it and no human-made law can change this.

«For example, allowing knives to be carried by students for 'religious' reasons.
NO.»

So you are concerned about violence - very well indeed, but how come you are not concerned about state-violence, in this case against religious people who only try to follow God and never wanted anything to do with the state to begin with?

«And that balance must always favour safety.»

Physical safety is a pipe-dream: everything that ever started is going to end; and everyone who was born must die. The only way if one really wants safety, is to cling to the unborn Eternal.

Dear Yuyutsu,

You wrote: "God and His laws always prevail, no matter what states try. No matter what states legislate, apples will keep falling down to earth and not up to the moon!"

It is a myth that there is a god and he/she/it makes laws. Humans make laws and myths. Humans may say those laws come from god. You will keep bleating about god. Humans make laws, and one can hope the laws are fair. The law of gravity is a consequence of the observation of behavior of matter - not something ordained by an imaginary deity. Organisms not aware of the law of gravity are subject to it.

You wrote: "Physical safety is a pipe-dream: everything that ever started is going to end; and everyone who was born must die. The only way if one really wants safety, is to cling to the unborn Eternal."

The first sentence is true. The second sentence is nonsense. May you survive in good health for a while.

Dear David F.,

Thank you for your good wishes.

It is not that I am fond or approve of human-made law, but legally speaking, not knowing about a law does not constitute an exemption from that law, nor does ignorance of its source, nor does considering that law to be nonsense.

Dear Yuyutsu,

I don't know of any meaning for the phrase, unborn Eternal.

The word, law, is used to describe governmental regulations and the behavior of matter, two very different things. The first is made by humans, and the second is a consequence of human observation of the behavior of matter. I don't share your belief in mythology. It is a primitive concept. I remember as a child seeing movies starring Jack Holt with tribal people observing, "The gods are angry." when observing the volcano erupting. You might grow up and dispense with your childish beliefs. You may be happier clinging to your childish beliefs. Whatever. Be happy.

The Universe is governed by laws of physics, Humans body function are governed by laws put in place by its creator. Human moral behaviors are governed by moral laws that are universal, and persons can accept them or reject them because they have free will or are ignorant.

There are three areas where moral laws apply, lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life. The Flesh things like gluttony, or lust for sexual gratification outside of loving marriage, lust of the eye is covetous of others property or persons, pride of life looking for praise of or power over others.

Dear Josephus,

It is odd that the universal moral laws in which you believe are found in your particular superstition. What a coincidence. Different societies do not agree on a universal morality. Tibetan morality used to accept polygamy with many husbands for one woman. Mormon society had many wives for one man. What is considered moral varies from society to society. In Biblical times slavery was accepted. That was not immoral then - just a different morality in a different time. Most societies now condemn slavery. Some religions still condemn people who are not heterosexual as sinners. Morality is not constant or universal but varies with time, place and society.