Where in the constitution it talks about the separation of church and state?

Question

The only thing that the First Adamant does is it prevents the government from restricting our rights to freely practice are religion and to freely speak our minds. I see nothing in the construction that says that I cannot teach my religion in the public schools. And any such law is a volition of my first amendment rights.

Answer 1

It is absolutely nowhere, and is a twist and spin on a letter to the Danbury Baptists from Thomas Jefferson that was taken out of context.I feel absolutely confident that those who thumbs down this answer either don't read it, or or much happier believing a lie than knowing the truh.

"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! For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity and freedom of worship here."Patrick Henry

John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony stated his vision of this new society that was coming to be this way...
"We shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through all the world."

" Amongst other strange things said of me, I hear it is said by the Deists that I am one of their number: and. indeed that some good people think I am no Christian. Yhis thought gives me much more painthan the appellation of Troy; because I think religion of infinitely more importance than politics; and I find much cause to reproach myself that I have lived so long and have given no decided and public proofs of my being a Christian. But, indeed, my dear child, this is the character which I prize far above all this world has, or can boast."
PATRICK HENRY, in a letter to his daughter 1796

"America seeks no earthly empire built on blood and force.No ambition, no temptation, lures her to thought of foreign dominions. The legions which she sends forth are armed, not with the sword, but with the cross. The higher state to which she seeks the allegiance of all mankind is not of human, but of divine origin. She cherishes no purpose save to merit the favor of Almighty God."

~ Calvin Coolidge, 30th American President

" My hope in the One who created us all sustains me: He is a ever present help in trouble...CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Book of Prophesies

"Therefore let the king and queen, the princes and their most fortunate kingdoms, and all other countries of Christendom give thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has bestowed upon us so great a victory and gift. Let religious processions be solemnized: let sacred festivals be given: let the churches be covered with festive garlands. Let Christ rejoice on earth, as He rejoices in heaven, when he forsees coming to salvation so many souls of people hitherto lost. "CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 1942 Library of Classics

Columbus believed he was living in the last days. He wrote in his Book Of Prophesies: "the Holy Scriptures testify in the Old Testament, by the mouth of the prophets, and in the New Testament, by our Savior Jesus Christ, that this world will come to an end: Matthew, mark, and Luke have recorded the signs of the end of the age... And I say that the sign that convinces me that our Lord is hastening the end of the world is the preaching of the Gospel recently in so many lands.".... ..He not only wanted to open a new trde route, but wanted to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In the words of the WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA he wanted to " recapture Jerusalem from the Muslims. There he said he would rebuild the Jews' holy Temple and bring on a new 'Age of the Holy Spirit." He wanted to liberate Christ's holy sepulcher from Muslim ownership back to Christian control. Because of all this, George Grant calls him"tThe last crusader" (One Nation Under God)

"Columbus' use of the Bible is one of the best documented facts of his remarkable career, but it is one of the least known to the general public." August J. King- Moody Monthly- October 1972

" To Columbus, the voyage westward was a way of reaching the Orient, and after Christianizing the Orient, joining forces with Asia to turn back the threat of Islam" JOHN EIDSMORE Columbus & Cortez

1 Chrisropher Columbus was motivated by his Christian faith to make his difficult voyage.
2 The Pilgrims clearly stated that they came to the New World to glorify God and to advance the Christian faith.
3 The Puritans who followed the Pilgrims to New England, created a Bible based commonwealths in order to practice a representative government that was modeled on their church covenants. Their more than 100 governmental covenants and compacts essentially laid the foundation for Americas Constitution, which was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1789.
4 This nation was founded in large measure as a sanctuary for religious dissidents, seeking asylum from religious pesecution and seeking the opportunity to live in freedom under the laws of God.
5 The education of the settlers and the founders of America was uniquely Christian and Bible based.More than 40% of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had seminary degrees.
6 The Great Awakening, a religious revival, was a key factor in uniting the seperate pre - Revelutionary War colonies and increasing communication among them.
7 Many of the clergy in American colonies "preached liberty" The pulpits of New England were especially important in helping to bring about independence.. Long before the general population understood the threat to American liberty, some colonial ministers saw what was coming and boldly spoke out about it from their pulpits.
8 Biblical Christianity was the driving force behind the men who championed American independence.
9 Christianity played a significant role in the development of our nations birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence.The Declaration of Independence metions God four times.
10 The Biblical understanding of the sinfullness of man was the guiding principle behind the United States Constitution.. The framers of the Constitution drew their inspiration from the Bible. They intended America to be one nation under God.

"It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible." George Wahington

George Washington
Taken straight from George Washingtons prayer journal..http://www.eadshome.com/WashingtonPrayer...
O most glorious God in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day..I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins...sounds pretty Christian to me.Unless diests pray to Jesus.Not!

official actions of Jefferson -
legislative and military chaplains
establishing a national seal using a religious symbol
including the word" God " in our national motto
official days of fasting and prayer at the state level
punishing sabbath breakers
punishing marriages contrary to biblical law punishing irreverent soldiers
protecting the property of churches
requiring oaths saying "so help me God taken on the Bible
granting land to Christian churches to reach the Indians
granting land to Christian schools
Allowing government property and facilities to be used for worship
using the Bible and non denominational religious publications to be used in public schools(He was involved in three different school districts and the plan in each one of these required that the Bible be taught in each our public schools
Allowing clergymen to hold pubic office, and encouraging them to do so
Purchasing religious books to stock public libraries
funding clergy salaries in Indian mission schools
Funding construction of church building for Indians
Exempting churches from taxation
Establishing professional schools of theology( He wanted to bring over from Geneva, Switzerland the entire faculty of Calvin's theological seminary and establish it at the University of Virginia)
Treaties requiring other nations to guarantee religious freedom
including religious speeches and prayers in ceremonies
Doesn't sound like the actions of one who would remove the freedom of worship or "separate church and state." The separation of church and state IS NOT in our Constitution.Thomas Jefferson was not even in the Constitutional convention !

The precepts of philosophy, and of the Hebrew code, laid hold of actions only. He (Jesus) pushed His scrutiniesinto the heart of man; erected His tribunal in the region of his thoughts, and purified the waters at the fountainhead. - Jefferson memoir, vol.!!! page 509 from his "Syllabus of an Estimate of the Merits of the doctrines of Jesus, Compared With Those of Others" sent to Benjamin Rush on April 21st, 1803.

No power over the freedom of religion..is delegated to the United States by the Constitution.Thomas Jefferson; KENTUCKY RESOLUTION, 1798

In matters of religion I have considered that its free exercise is placed by the Constitution independent of the powersof the general [Federal} government. Thomas Jefferson; SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS, 1805

Our excellent Constitution...has not placed our religious rightsunder the power of and public functionary. Thomas Jefferson; LETTER TO THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1808

I consider the government of the United States as interdicted (prohibited)by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions... or exercises. Thomas Jefferson. LETTER TO SAMUEL MILLER, 1808.

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have lost the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath."Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1794

I think its pretty clear, as I once heard it said, "the real Thomas Jefferson is the ACLU's biggest nightmare."

Representatives from all the American colonies got together in 1643 and ratified the New England Confederation, which declared: We all came to these parts of America for one and the same end and aim, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.


John Quincy adams, our sixth president, said," The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." (Quoted from The Christian History Of The United States Verna M. Hall 1966)


John Adams proposed that when Americas future citizens celebrated The Declaration of Independence, they should have religious services to thank God for what He had brought about. President Adams said Independence Day should" be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival, commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward and forevermore."

John Adams wrote and distributed a book for 10 year olds that was to teach them how to read the Bible while he was in office.

John Adams warned his countrymen:
We have no government armed with power capable of controlling with human passions, unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strong cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholy in adequate to the government of any other.

The vast majority of delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention were professing Christians. Only Ben Franklin and James Wilson of Pennsylvania were known to be Deists.

Ben Franklins speech at the Constitutional Convention:
Mr. President. The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance and continual reasoning with each other - our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes, is me thinks a meloncholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding.
We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those republics which, have been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist.And we have viewed modern states all around Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.
In this situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark, to find political truth and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?
In the beginning of the contes with Great Britan, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection - Our prayers,Sir, were heard & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor.
To that kind of Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity.And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend?Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men.And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice , it is probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it"(Psalm 127:1) I firmly believe this; I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: we shall be divided by our partial local interests: our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages.
And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war and conquest.
I therefor beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of heaven, and it's blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

Here was probably the least religious of the Founding Fathers calling for prayer and quoting scripture
Congress has opened every session with prayer from the first (September1774)to the most recent.

I am always astounded at the amount of partial truths that have been used to rewrite our history and how some statements are taken out of context and used to give a totally false impression of their meanings... for example George Washington's opting out of communion.. It is being used to try and give the impression he was anti communion. Nothing could be further from the truth...He decided at one point that it was not fitting for him to take communion while he was fighting the war against the British and killing soldiers. They use this one instance to make their case. However the truth abut him is that he was the kind of Christian who at one time journeyed a long distance, to the home of a Presbyterian pastor to ask if he could take communion in their church(some churches did not allow others to participate in communion if they did not belong to their church, and he was Anglican and there were no Anglican churches in the town he was at.) Washington did join them in communion and there is a record of this.The very first act of George Washington as president was to bend down and reverently kiss the Bible after being sworn in.He would retire to his library with a candle from 9:00 till 10:00 every evening for prayer and bible study. A fact that is well documentedTher were many times that certain emergencies arose and people would have to seek his attention and would find him on his knees praying before an open bible. Those that knew him closely wrote of him as a devoted Christian.

I hear people say that Lincoln was an atheist...yes he was just as I used to be but I am now Christian.Listen to what Lincoln himself said..."When I was in Springfield I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, I was not a christian But when I went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ. Yes I do love Jesus." Those are Lincolns own words. No one can tell me he was an atheist no more than they can tell me that I am one now, even though I was one in the past. If you read my letters before 1981 I would seem to be an atheist.

By the way, James Madison's first draft of the religion clause of the First Amendment is as stated:
" The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief of worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of Conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed."
That should make it clear to anyone who want to know the real truth that the Anti Christian society we have in force today is as far from originally intended as possible.It was VERY SIMPLY written because there were numerous Christian denominations and the Founding Fathers wisely built in safeguards so that no one sect could lord over others as the Catholics had in England from which they came.

Take a walk around our nation's capitol.View the monuments such as The Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. You cannot read them without reading the word "God" carved in stone somewhere.Religious paintings grace the Halls of our government buildings in glorious testament to the value our Founding Fathers placed on religion.

The Northwest Ordinance is one of the principle documents in the history of the founding of America...it states: "Religion, morality and knowledge being essential to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
Here we see why the Bible used as text books in our schools, and our Univerities teaching Theology was no misunderstanding of the Constitution.

The first Congress of the United States, the very day after they approved the First Amendment, passed an act establishing Chaplains for the Army, Navy , the Senate and the House. Do you think that they didn't understand the Constitution they had just written and approved?The only way that one can come to the conclusion that the Founders of this country intended a purely secular state, where the state is
" neutral" (translate "hostile") to religion is by selective History They base their decisions on a FEW selective passages from our history and ignore the mountain of evidence to the contrary.

I recommend the writing of George Bancroft (1800-1891) a historian who's writings precede the edited versions we get today with our Christian history erased and distorted.

Answer 2

You're right... it's not there. Wooohoooo!!! This Pagan is going to go to the nearest high school and start teaching all the kids about Asatru (following the Norse Gods). Maybe I'll take a book along that details the rituals of Gardnerian Wicca as well... Equal opportunity.

Hey, there's nothing in the Constitution that states "The Laws of this Land are established on the Christian Religion" either... so it's obvious that "Right" you are talking about having is for EVERYONE... including us Pagans.

Answer 3

Obviously you didn't read past what you wanted to see.

The First Amendment also prevents the government from endorsing any one religion over another. The only way to ensure both halves of the religion part of the amendment a separation of church and state.

As far as teaching your religion in the public schools--that would violate everyone else's right to freely practice religion by having your religion forced on them.

Answer 4

I always find it funny how so many people only read half of the first amendment.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
This is the part that you're ignoring. It means the government can't have a state religion, and can't force people into religious practice or indoctrination. In case you forgot, public schools are government institutions.

"...or prohibiting the free exercise of thereof..."
This is the part that allows you to practice your religion any way you wish. It also allows me to practice my religion any way I wish, without the government or public schools telling me what I or my children must do or learn in a religious capacity.

Answer 5

. as some have pointed out it is not found in any of our founding documents. it was in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists Pres. Jefferson was reassuring the chruch there is a wall between church and state and that the state could not regulate any of the church activity. many have twisted to mean the other way around . it is funny that our first right is the freedom of religion. here is part of the letter


Taken from Andrew Lipscomb and Albert Bergh, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol., 16, pp. 281-282.


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, and 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 and his God, that he owes account to none other for is faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and 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 and 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 and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.


this was what the supreme court based their descion on when they removed peoples rights

Answer 6

The phrase comes from Thomas Jefferson in a separate matter, seaparate document .

Answer 7

If you teach your religion in public schools, you violate someone else's constitutional rights not to have you force your beliefs upon him or his kids. Would you like for Moslems or Hindus to teach their beliefs to your kids. I did not think so! Thomas Jefferson said in a letter that the beginning of the First Amendment was meant to build a wall of separation between church and state. for such people as you who cannot or will not reason it out, he should have spelled it out more directly. i can be direct. If you tried to teach your ignorant beliefs to my kids, I could do something about it myself.

Answer 8

The (part of the) First Amendment was intended to prevent the government from becoming theocratic. By endorsing evangelizing in public schools, the government is acting theocratic.

Answer 9

Proselytizing to children by their teachers and school administrators, who are public employees, whether directly or by proxy, is clearly establishment of religion. It is exactly what the Antiestablishment clause was about.

Answer 10

it is not, that is Unconstitutional for any US legislative physique to declare an respectable national or state faith (that's the section the place it says "make no regulation respecting a company of religion" keyword phrases being "regulation" and "set up" the government can not use the regulation to verify an respectable faith. the instructor factor is IMHO certainly and thoroughly ludicrous and disgusting, working for the government would not recommend we flow away our souls in the back of and final I checked the pastime description of an educator would not comprise being an atheist. that is why while i'm finished with college i will in uncomplicated terms coach, and my toddlers will in uncomplicated terms attend inner maximum religious colleges We get the main complication for it by way of fact in the U. S. we are the final public, the main important aim sees the main arrows.

Answer 11

It doesn't. That statement was in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson and was used in a Supreme Court ruling, but it is not in the Constitution.