How do you think the separation of church and state has affected our country?

Question

What other countries do not separate them? What are the pros and cons? If we did not separate them would our country be safer?

Answer 1

I think if the courts and lawmakers stayed to the original intent of the Constitution it would work just fine.

When our forefathers wrote the Constitution they didn't want people forced into a particular religion like they were forced in Great Britain to become a part of the Church of England. They also didn't want religion controlling the government like religion had done in the past.

Our forefathers were very religious, many portions of our government were based upon the Bible and if you read some of their statements and writings you might think you were reading a church sermon.

If most people would notice, they also included a freedom of religion article in the Constitution. So many times people forget that it is even included and try invoking the separation of church and state over the freedom of religion.

I agree with our forefathers' viewpoint.

1. Government should not be controlled by religion
2. People should not be forced into one particular religion by government.

Also, government should not fund religion. Nor should churches (as non-profit organizations) be taxed.

I disagree with George Bush that government should fund faith based organizations. That should be part of the separation of church and state.

However, I would disagree with some that children should not be allowed to pray in school or have stickers on their lunchbox that says something regarding Jesus, etc. That is part of the freedom of religion and doing thus takes away part of a persons freedoms. It also should not prohibit people in the legislature from praying, nor should it force people to pray.

I've heard the argument used that prayer in public places such as school, a court room, and in legislature should not be allowed because it might offend some people. It offends me that they are trying to take away my freedoms because a very small minority might be offended. If freedoms were subject to being revoked based solely upon offending a small minority such as some suggest with the separation of church and state, then we shouldn't have any freedoms at all. Freedom of speech should go out the door, because you might offend someone.

Those articles of freedom were added to the Constitution because they were meant to guarantee freedom even though others would be offended. They knew others would be offended. That's why they specifically wrote the article for the freedom of religion.

One of the reasons such things were added was because a long time ago people would make comments regarding the President of the United States and just because those comments offended the President they could be thrown in jail. Under the Bush Administration, you might as well throw that freedom out because they have thrown people in jail for saying things that offended the President.

The freedom of religion should never be taken for granted. When I graduated from high school we were told that if our class lead student prayer at graduation that whoever participated could get thrown in jail. This happened at many of the high schools around my community. Come graduation day, there were tons of policeman all over my high school, ready to arrest any person who prayed at graduation ceremonies. My class defied the court order and the class president and class vice president both led prayers and most every person in the entire auditorium bowed their head in prayer also. Nobody was arrested that day, but that is just one sign of how close we can be at any point to losing the freedoms we have if we don't fight for them.

Answer 2

I think it's worked well, despite attempts since the creation of this country to create a fundamentalist Roman Catholic state. I believe we were one of the first governments to specifically forbid interaction between the state and a religion, and this has served as a model of governance for many other countries.

Pros - more fair to the citizens that may be in a minority religion, or not have religion at all.

Cons - non, some may claim it gets us away from moral guidance but religion is easily corrupted by humans.

Answer 3

I don't mind the separation between church and state but don't take down the commandments then build foot baths for another religion.

Answer 4

In a negative way. It only seems to apply to Christians.

Answer 5

There isn't any seperation of church and state..Why do muslims get special treatment and other religions don't?