Why or Why not?
2007-02-05 15:21:58 · 13 answers · asked by shavon a 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
There are so many good reasons, many of which are so apparent today, that one hardly knows where to begin. The most important reason is the one those that first came to this country had experienced first hand. State sponsored religion easily and powerfully squelches freedom of religion and thought, and must not be allowed. This is not based on any anti-religious philosophy, but was based on their personal experience. Today, some Evangelicals have advocated in Faith and Nation last year that if their political agenda was not met, they would advocate the overthrow of this nation. Ones personal beliefs must never be allowed to hold sway over the nation, or all of it's vitality and freedom will be put in jeopardy.
2007-02-05 15:26:23 · answer #1 · answered by michaelsan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There IS a wall. And it will remain.
The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries. - James Madison - Father of the Constitution.
Does the stupidity of cons know no end?
2007-02-05 15:24:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "wall" of separation of church and state does a few very important things. It prevents our government from persecuting people solely on the basis of their religious beliefs. We cannot put all Muslims in detention camps because a small number of them are terrorists. We also cannot outlaw their religion because a small number of them are terrorists. It also protects church's from government interference with their beliefs. The government, while it can recognize gay marriage, abortion, and capital punishment as legally acceptable, cannot force any church to abandon its view on these issues. The government cannot force a church to perform gay marriages.
I think it is accepted that religion and government will always have some influence on the other, there is no way to completely separate the two. The first amendment is meant to protect all people's freedom to choose whatever faith they wish (atheism and agnosticism are still faiths, even though there is no or undecided belief in God).
2007-02-05 15:49:13 · answer #3 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
things like the Spanish Inquisition, the Smithfield fires, Bloody Mary, the Crusades, the English Civil War-Cromwell, Joan of Arc, the list goes on and on. The founders of the country knew the religious winds can shift. The heretics of today can be the torturers of tomorrow. One interesting guy, Voltaire said something to the effect that the poor English clergyman have to be stuck with wives to cavort with while the Cardinals and Bishops of the Catholic church have the daughters of the French aristocracy as their mistresses. All these issues made them decide to keep religion out of government.
2007-02-05 15:34:45 · answer #4 · answered by magpie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That line came from Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Baptist Association iof Danbury, CT...NOT from James Madison or the Constitution.
Would you like to hazard a guess as to how it came into popular use? As a slogan of the Know Nothing Party in the 1840's in their battle against Catholic education. They wanted to ban parochial schools and force kids to attend public schools.
EDIT: The idiocy of the Left knows no bounds. What is there to thumbs down??? The entirety of my answer is factual, not opinion. Anyone who disagrees with cold, hard facts is a garden variety imbecile.
2007-02-05 15:28:28 · answer #5 · answered by Rick N 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Crusades and other holy wars are a shining example of why to keep church and state separated, among other things.
2007-02-05 15:29:45 · answer #6 · answered by fearslady 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That was Jefferson, not Madison. The constitution doesn't say that, it just says no to establishing a religion or preventing the free excercise of religion. I say go with the Constitution.
2007-02-05 15:26:17 · answer #7 · answered by yupchagee 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
theoretically there should be a wall, but will there ever be a complete wall? no...
everything in people's lives overlap. if a person is in any way part of a church, then what they hear there will probably effect what they do in state. and vice versa..
2007-02-05 15:29:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree, the church should not dictate the policies of the state, though the state also should not dictate the policies of the church.
2007-02-05 15:33:17 · answer #9 · answered by asmith1022_2006 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, we need to protect the church from the state.
2007-02-05 15:25:47 · answer #10 · answered by chris 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋