Why should you not strictly interpret separation of church and state?

Question

DID YOU KNOW?

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with full frontal view - it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.

DID YOU KNOW?

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.

DID YOU KNOW?

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

DID YOU KNOW?

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE??

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

Answer 1

Because separation of church and state was never intended by the Framers of the Constitution. In fact, it is never even mentioned in the Constitution. Read the personal letters of the Framers. Without a doubt, they meant for Judeo-Christian ethics to guide the country. In fact, many outright said that without Christian principles guiding the country, it was doomed to ultimately fail.

The First Amendment merely guarantees that the government cannot force you to attend a particular denomination of church - or national religion, if you will. It is a direct result of the persecution of the English who did not belong to the Church of England. It does not prohibit the expression of religion ANYWHERE - public place or otherwise. Why is each session of Congress opened with prayer if there was supposed to be true separation of church and state? Why does the President attend many National Prayer Breakfasts each year? Why does almost every government agency sponsor its own National Prayer Breakfast? Because separation of church and state is not Constitutionally sanctioned.

The First Amendment was meant to protect religion from the government - NOT to protect the government from religion.

Answer 2

I believe that christianity is a huge part of our history in this country. For that reason, and that reason alone I believe that the architect in and around our government buildings should remain. I also believe that everyone in this country has the right to pray when, where, and to whom they choose without fear of ridicule, prejudism, or persecution.
Just because something has been done one way for hundreds of years does not make it right. There are many things in this countries past that the majority of people once deemed as right or correct. But then someone with a little more intelligence came along and showed them a better way. Ever heard of slavery?
This is the land of the FREE! Noone has a right to push their views and opinions on another.

Answer 3

I suppose that you, and many like you, would have no problem if a Muslim posted quotes from the koran in the local courthouse. How about if a Hindu led a prayer at a public high school graduation? Also, maybe you have forgotten or if like me, weren't even born, but there used to be mandated prayer every morning in many public schools. Also, girls could not wear pants. What you are talking about is a step backward, which seems to be fairly typical of conservatives.

Answer 4

This is where the phrase comes from:

The Final Letter, as Sent
To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.
Th JeffersonJan. 1. 1802.

Answer 5

well really america was not suppossed to have an "establishment of religion" that is government can't force it citizens to have a particualer religion, can't make them tithe, can't
make them go to church or believe.

I think too many people are attacking religion in
America.If they don't want to believe fine but don't make it illegal for me to publicly declare my religion...I believe in God and i don't think He should be stripped from every dollar, or schoolbook, or statue.

Every sentence of the constitution haves biblical references because it was founded on the Bible...even though i'm not a (ultra)conservative i think the ACLU should leave religion alone...it keeps people moral(mostly).

If we didn't have the fear of God or Allah or Whatever you believe then what would keep us from robbing banks, killing people, stealing and whatnot. Certainly not your own goodness.
Laws take up what religion can't, it forces people to be accountable and responsible for their acts, Good or Bad

Answer 6

without leaping on the two component of the fence, gay marriage is greater a social or ethical concern than a spiritual one it is basically that the religious sect likes to sound out because of the fact the previous testomony of the bible does talk out against homosexuality. even although, I consider the 1st answer I study. it is a sturdy subject be counted to maintain us all distracted.