Separation of church and state????

Question

I have to write an editorial for a class of my opinion on whether the government is becoming too involved with the church. I am a little torn on the issue and I'd like to hear your arguments for either side so I can form a better stance. So whatever your opinion is, let me hear it!!!!!

Answer 1

If the government officially supports/adopts any one religion, it automatically and at the same time excludes/rejects a whole bunch of other equally legitimate religions that Americans practice. Not cool in the country to which people (the Pilgrims) originally came to _escape_ the religious persecution of the single-religion-affiliated British government. We would simply be reenacting the British government's oppressive rule (except, probably, for the part where we kill everyone who doesn't agree) - the one thing we vowed never to do.

Answer 2

There is no such thing. Go read the first amendment to the Constitution, you will not find the words Separation of Church and State anywhere. The government is NOT forbidden from being involved with any church or religion. The only thing the Federal government is forbidden to do is Congress cannot make a law that specifically establishes a US Government mandated religion. Period. Thats it. End of argument. However, Liberals and anti-christian radicals have twisted this amendment into a joke, and convinced judges that this clause you speak of does exist, when in fact it does not. At that point, peoples constitutional rights were and are violated. You will hear many arguments from the radicals in an attempt to justify their position. They will use such terms as indoctrination. But those people in the country with working brains will know that simply selebrating a holiday, or displaying a picture of a religious person, or displaying a cross because thats what you believe in, is not indoctrination, its simply people exercising their right to practice their religion freely which IS a guarantee under the first amendment. They will also use a reference to what are called the federalists papers as proof of the intent of the writers of the constitution. In fact, the federalist papers were simply the ideas and problems that the writers wrote down so they could work out the problem to make it fair to all and ensure that all peoples rights, religious and otherwise, would always be upheld. Their real intent was that NO one person or entity would be able to trump the other when it came to another persons religious rights. Their fear was that the rich and powerful would change the laws as they saw fit so as to persecute groups of people if they didn't believe in their faith or practices. What they came up with was Congress (The rich and those in total control of the countries laws) would be forbidden to make any laws establishing a sole religion for the country, and that no law could be brought to bear on the people that abridged the peoples right to practice their religion as they saw fit and where ever they so desire. Its is sad that in todays world, this fair and equal arrangement has been corrupted by anti-religious zealots. We now have small pockets of people who are being allowed to object to anothers religion, and have them and their religion, and any signs of it, banned from public view. Clearly a violation of the first amendment to the Constitution of these United States. The founding fathers worse fears have come true.

Answer 3

As a school project have you read the Constitution, or just the part about State and church.
When you have read it you should have a better idea of what it means.
Our fore fathers thought about a lot of things and one was how not to allow the church to get involved in government. They wanted a government that was run by the people not by any influence of the church. Yet today we still have Church pressuring the government on a lot of issues, yet they can not take direct control as the church did in England.
So you may like your church, government, yet I would think you do not want the two as one.

Answer 4

I live in a country with a state church, which is Lutheran. There are some who would like to separate it, most wish to keep it as it is. As long as freedom of speech and belief are secured in a country's constitution, separation of state and church have little impact on a person's freedom to practise his/her religion, as long as such practise does not include things that are against the law. The state church is thus not the only church allowed.
One great advantage with the state church as we have it, is that all church buildings are well and correctly cared for. We have churches that are almost 1000 years old in this country, and they are part of our cultural heritage. I feel it may be unsafe to leave these to organizations without the funds and/or necessary expertise.
Some also feel that the fact that there is a state church may contribute to keep the teaching of the church on a reasonable level, and not give growth to extremists. Again, a country should have laws that regulate this kind of thing.
I hope I have given you some points of view you can use. The country is Norway. I am an atheist, and I feel that we should keep things as they are, I don't mind paying church tax because I feel it's important to maintain the church buildings. Good luck to you!

Answer 5

The founding fathers were afraid of a national church like they came from in England. They probably wanted to avoid a Theocratic government like Cromwell had.

Originally, every state had a state church and states were not prohibited from mandating that state politicians belong to a certain religion or have a certain belief. The 1st Amendment did not originally extend to states, just the federal government.

When the constitution was amened for the 14th amendment, and after the courts decided some cases, the 1st amendment was shown to extend to the states via the 14th amendment.

Therefore, my belief is that the separation envisioned by our founders IS NOT what we have now. A more important clause of the 1st amendment is the "free exercise thereof" clause. The Li(e)berals will tell you that religion does not belong in the public square; that is wrong. The government can no more forbid you from praying in school, reading the Bible at school, or wearing T-shirts with biblical slogans than they can force you to do those things. The Li(e)berals do not understand that their belief system equates to a religion, and they are violating the 1st amendment by trying to rid the country of Christianity.

Answer 6

I would write an article on how "Separation of Church and State" is not in the US Constitution but was in the Soviet Constitution. The misnomer is from the founders wanting to prevent a state enforced religion as written in the First Amendment. However, the current interpretation is creating a state religion of "Humanism" and rules are being created that limit our supposed freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.

Answer 7

Though this country was founded on Judea Christian values, there has been and never will be any person in Government who has told the people what religion to follow or pursue. What you are seeing now is the far left communist trying to create an issue that is not there. When this government starts telling you how to worship your faith, that is the time to be concerned. Now its just a special interest group getting more attention than they should.

Answer 8

as many others have noted - the Constitution doesn't say anything about separation of church and state.

what it provides is freedom of religion by stating that the government cannot force a "national religion" on the country.

and remember -- the Constitution says "freedom OF religion" - not "freedom FROM religion"!!!

Answer 9

Well.. It's tough subject because it is hard to draw a direct link of between religion and policy. I think that the neo conservative right has been influenced heavily by religion.. Ideas like making abortion illegal, being against stem cell research, many vice laws, gay marrige etc are all religon based.. In my opinion, the Evangical community has too much power in the government.. No one should be able to tell you what you can do with yourbody, gays shouldn't be discrinatied against, stem cells should be used for research etc. Many politiians understand the power of the bible belt in this country as it relates to national elections so they pander to the crowd.. It is wrong and unconstitutional

Answer 10

Separation of church and state is nothing but a bunch of secularists trying to stomp out Christianity.
At my high school, kids are allowed to say "Happy Hanukah, or Happy Kwanzah or Happy Holidays" but if you say "Merry Christmas" you get in trouble.
Why? "Seperation of Church and state of course!

If you don't like what I'm saying, prove that I lied.