why did Thomas Jefferson want a separation of church and state?

Question

where did the idea-separation of church and state-come from?

Answer 1

The idea of the separation of church and state is in a supreme court decision, not in the constitution. And it is certainly not an idea of Thomas Jefferson.

The founding fathers were all men of religion who believed in God. What they wanted to avoid was the creation of an "official" state religion that discriminated against other religions. Freedom of worship is why many groups came to the US and was a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution.

Answer 2

The term "seperation of church and state" was coined by Jefferson in a response letter to an American church.
The church had written Jefferson as thier elected represenative, to ask for a seperation between government and religion. They wanted to be sure that America would not go down the same path as England, which so many Christians had fled because of perscution.
Jefferson was affirming his support to the church in his response.

Answer 3

The Church used to be a very powerful influence in everyday life. A century before Jefferson's time the Church controlled almost every aspect of life. The separation of Church was a means to have the U.S. Government in absolute control without any outside influences except being checked by the individual voters.

Answer 4

Look at Iran, Northern Ireland and then ask that question again. He knew that when church and state are combined there will be problems. What would be the national religion of the US? Episcopal? Baptist? Methodist? Jewish? Catholic? Lutheran? Puritan? Quaker? Amish? Druid? Mormon? 7th Day Adventist? Jehovah's Witness? Salvation Army? Unitarian? 4Square Gospel?
Or what? And what would the others think of that? Would they be persecuted because they weren't of the national religion? Suppose your religion was one of those not the national religion? What do you think happened to Huguenots in France or anyone who was not Catholic in Spain? Burning at the stake was too good for them would have been the hue and cry. The reason many of the early settlers came to America in the first place was because they could not worship as they believed without harassment or persecution.

Answer 5

Because in England at that time, the king was not only the head of the civil government, he was also head of the church. One person controlled the two most powerful organizations in every english citizen's life. Cross either one, and you could pay with your reputation, your fortune, or your life.

Jefferson knew that people came to America in part to be able to worship as they wanted to. He wanted that opportunity to be a fundamental part of the highest law of the land. Changing that would mean making a fundamental change to the entire way of American life.

Answer 6

it relatively is in the form. "Congress shall make no regulation respecting an corporation of religion" however the church curiously would not have faith in separation as maximum contain. an corporation is a creature of the state that serves on the exhilaration of the state to fulfill state applications. A 501c3 became into in basic terms meant to nicely known museums, charity and so on as non income. A church is and continually became into tax deductable without the 501c3. So why do churchs seek for to be regulated via the state and the IRS? Beats me! perchance they might particularly bow to somebody different then God as Their head.

Answer 7

It came from England where the King established a state controlled church. Church of England and persucuted Catholics and anyone else they didn't like. Millions of Irish were murdered by the English because they wouldn't conform to this foreign religion.

Answer 8

Because it is a must for any Democracy to survive.Have you ever realized how crooked are the church people of any denomination.They have been fooling the people and living very good from the last 5000 years by the name of The God.

Answer 9

The tyranny of King George was no worse than the tyranny of the Christian Church in Europe in the centuries immediately preceding the formation of the United States.

Jefferson wrote a lot of the corruption of power within the church including:
The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and ingrafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against the civil and religious rights of man (Letter to J. Moor, 1800).

The clergy...believe that any portion of power confided to me [as President] will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion (Letter to Benjamin Rush, 1800).

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes (Letter to von Humboldt, 1813).

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own (Letter to H. Spafford, 1814).

Answer 10

Because this country was settled by people who wanted to worship the way they wanted.......

Jefferson coined the phrase "wall of separation".