Welcome to the United Christianist Theocratic States of America

Mark and Amy decided they’d like to build a family room on the back of their house. They wanted a fireplace and room enough for a nice big screen TV, a pool table, a weight bench and a treadmill.

They saved for a couple of years, and they and their two kids--Ryan, 14, and Megan, 16--were very excited when there was enough set aside to hire a contractor and get the project started.

Amy’s brother gave them the name of a local builder and they called him. Tom came over, asked about the details of what Mark and Amy wanted, took some measurements and gave them an estimate. The price seemed reasonable, so Mark and Amy gave Tom a down payment.

The next week, Tom came by with his crew just as Mark and Amy were headed off to work. Mark was a little anxious about letting the crew break ground without either him or his wife there to supervise, so he took his lunch break early and headed home to check on the progress. Much to his surprise, he discovered Tom and his crew sitting in a circle in his backyard. They were praying. Nothing had been done.

When Mark demanded to know why no work had been done, Tom asked if he and his family went to church. Mark became flustered. He said no and demanded to know what that had to do with anything. Tom explained that he and his crew believed in building through the power of prayer, and he claimed that they were unable to make any progress that morning because Mark and his wife had no faith.

Mark fired Tom, and he called the bank to stop payment on the check he’d given him.

Tom sued, and he went around to all the local newspapers and TV and radio stations and claimed Mark and Amy were atheists who fired him because he is Christian. He insisted that his religious liberty had been violated.

Mark and Amy got hate mail. Strangers were rude to them. And the church on the corner staged a protest right in front of their house. And not long after that, the legislature passed a resolution stating they believed in the power of prayer.

Mark and Amy had to spend the money they had saved on a lawyer.