Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. \n\n\n\n\nI see no place where it says "seperation between church and state.
213481
True, it doesn't say verbatim "seperation between church and state", however that somes up the 1st amendment nicely.\n\nHow would you teach a specific religion in a public school and not consider that to be a favoring a specific religion above all others?
275280
I'm not sure how you are defining "separation of church and state".  That phrase doesn't appear in the constitution in any form.\n\nI agree with what the constitution says, in essence and I paraphrase... that "the congress (government) shall establish no official mandated religion" which it never has nor ever will. If that is your definition, YES.  I do believe and support no "state mandated religion" which is what the writers of the constitution clearly intended.  \n\nIf you define it like that idiot out in funny land (California) Michael Neudow does, who wants "in God we trust" off all our money, all our buildings and all references to any higher power expunged from all government related materials of any kind, the answer is NO.\n\nIf you don't remember Mr. Neudow, he is the same looney that filed the phoney lawsuit "on behalf" of his 7 year old daughter to take "under God" out of the Pledge of Alleigence.  My answer to that perverted interpretation of the constitution is a big, BIG NO and I don't believe in it for the simplest reason in the world, THATS NOT WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS. nor what it means.\n\nAs for tax status, I could care less since the IRS will stick to just as bad either way.\n\nOh, yeah, by the way.... <lord_dups76> (the first reply) should really, REALLY be back on his Lithium.
189879
The first amendment guarantees freedom of religion.  A politician has the right to freely talk about the Ten Commandments.\n\nThe Constitution does not ANYWHERE separate church and state.  It just says not to have a state-run church, referring to the Church of England situation.\n\nThe Constitution is one of the most misinterpreted documents........
610264
The United states was NOT founded on christian principles. George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson , to name a few, were Deists. " As the Government of the United States, is not, in any sense, founded on the christian religion" Treaty of Tripoli 1796. Read before and passed unanimously by the US  Senate. The founders wanted the wall between church and state  because of religious persecution.  They thought no one religion should be able to use the government to force their views on we the people. John Adams wanted it because he didn't want the government to corrupt religion and Thomas Jefferson didn't want religion to corrupt government. It seems they where both right. But alas this debate will go on forever.
672167
The Constitution does not discuss any Biblical laws.  The expressed reason for that can be found in the Establishment Clause of Article One of the Constitution.  Lengthy debate accompanied this clause in the Constitutional Convention.  Ultimately it was decided that the institutions of government and religion MUST be kept separate and independent of eachother to prevent future infringement upon either one upon the other.  As a result, this clause is typically referred to as the 'separation of church and state' clause.\n\nConstitutionally and historically, it is apparent that the constitution has no legal precedence for any amendment that would in any way limit the rights or priveleges of American citizens.  No amendment (other than Prohibition, which of course was repealed) has ever provided that rights be lost.  The founders of the U.S. and drafters of the Constitution make clear that constitutional law and religion do not, and should not mix.
540150
Oh, we most certainly need separation of church and state. If we didn't have that principle or the First Amendment, there would be nothing to stop this country from becoming a corrupt theocracy like those our forefathers left when they founded America.\n\nWith the First Amendment and the separation of church and state, we're all guranteed the right to believe as we so choose, including the right NOT to believe in anything at all. We're guranteed the right to our own deep, personal beliefs. Without the First Amendment, the government could TELL us what our beliefs have to be, whether we agree and truly believe in them or not. The government could arrest us or worse for daring to secretly practice a religion other than what it sanctions.\n\nThat's why the First Amendment and separation of church and state is so delicate and precious. It's not guaranteed for one or two select groups. It's for EVERYBODY, whether you like it or not. It safeguards your beliefs as well as those you don't agree with. Without such protection, your beliefs are in just as much danger as mine or anyone else's.\n\nWithout it, there's no guarantee that we'll be able to hold fast to our own beliefs, no guarantee that the government can't up and decide to become a religious nation and do away with those who can't obey without question. To keep that from happening, to preserve our personal rights, we have that separation. We have the First Amendment to guarantee our personal beliefs and protect them from being violated by the government, which cannot tell us to believe or not to believe. Only we can decide that.
15432
The first part of the First Amendment reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"\n\nCongress does not have to pass a law explicitly delcaring a religion a 'National Religion' to establish it. You can establish an official religion de facto by banning the practices of other religions or favoring a religious belief above that of other religious beliefs for the purpose of promoting that religion.\n\nIt is a violation of the establishment clause (and the free exercise clause and the free speech clause of the 1st; and the equal protection clause of the 14th) for the federal government to favor one religious perspective over another unless it is for secular reasons. (like if one religious perspective is against murder and the other is for it) Madison, who is considered the "Father of the Constitution" and Jefferson called this principle the "seperation of church and state."\n\nSince the post-Civil War Amendments, all levels of government are held to the same standard of protecting rights as the federal government.\n\nAll it means is that the government can't play favorites. They have to allow everyone the same ability to express their opinions on religion in the same ways and the same manner. They can't let one group invite speakers to a University and ban another; let one perspective be promoted by government employees in public schools but not another; or erect a religious monument for one view but not another.\n\nMost of the legal debates over the "establishment clause" is whether or not a specific practice is for religious or secular reasons and whether citizens are given special treatment for certain religious speech but not others.\n\nSo the short answer is that if you entangle church and state, you have the government favoring certain religious speech and beliefs above other certain religious speech and beliefs, which establishes religion and impedes free exercise.
634863
The separation of church and state is a total miscarriage of the Constitution of the USA. \nLawyers, not Christians, have changed the meaning of the clause. What is meant by the so called separation is not separation at all but that the USA is not to set up a state religion such as the UK has with the Anglican Church. \n\nThis is another example of the lies foisted on the American public to satisfy the NON Christian not the Christian. Go and actually read the Constitution and see what it says...90% of Americans have no idea what their constitution says....
102255
The US is not a Christian country. George Washington & John Adams (remember them?), in a diplomatic message to Malta, said "The United States is in no way founded upon the Christian religion." \n\nThat being said, the majority of the US government is Christian, as well as the majority of the US populus. Laws that are written based on their religious convictions blur the line between Church and State, and many time, cross it.\n\nMy ancestors (I am a Mayflower descendant) came to this country in 1620 to escape state-imposed religion. The fundi-Christians are trying hard to impose one on us now. This is being allowed to happen because the Congress, Senate, and Executive Branch are controlled by psuedo-Christians, and most of the people who put them there are psuedo-Christians.
136282
Is there ANY way in which that is NOT a violation of the first amendment?  That judge managed to destroy BOTH freedom of religion AND freedom of speech in one sentence!  It's perfectly legal to refuse medical treatment for a dying child because it goes against your religious beliefs, but God forbid you make fun of Christianity when your kid's not even there.  Has Bush tried to appoint this guy to the Supreme Court yet?  And why is it that they don't take away people who teach their children to racism and homophobia (or creationism for that matter) but parents who's religion goes against Christianity can lose their kids?  Or maybe it was the sex toy thing.  Perhaps we should take away the kids of everyone who has had sex.  But wait a second, that might not work so well.
182254
Nowhere does it say (even though Jefferson said it in private or so called public papers)that church & state should be separated to the point where you remove any reference to God, the Ten Commandments, prayer, Nativity scenes, Christmas trees, etc. from all schools, government buildings, etc.  The meaning of separation is that the Federal Government will NOT force anyone to believe or practice the Christian religion, like if you don't want to pray while others are, or recite the pledge of allegiance saying "under God", fine.  You don't have to.  You can even leave the room & come back after they're finished.  But it doesn't mean the government should stop anyone from praying, displaying the Ten Commandments, pledging "under God", displaying Nativity scenes, showing Christmas trees, etc. You should also be allowed to wear any symbol of your religion while attending school--as long as it does not promote violence against others.  Just because you oppose homosexuality does NOT mean that you are violently opposed to it.  Also, homosexuals have no right to FORCE anyone to live their lifestyle or commit homosexual acts with them.
476194
Separation of church and state is important.  We have freedom of religion.  If we start legislating religious doctrine into law then we WON'T be free to practice whatever faith resonates with us and we won't be free to be WITHOUT belief in any and/or all faiths.\n\nForcing people to accept some particular idea or adhere to behavioral standards from someone else’s religion means that their religious freedom is being infringed upon.\n\nAlso, the United States is not in the business of legislating based on morality ALONE.  As former Justice O'Connor once said in a ruling that struck down morality based sodomy laws: "A law branding one class of persons as criminal solely based on the State’s moral disapproval of that class and the conduct associated with that class runs contrary to the values of the Constitution and the Equal Protection Clause, under any standard of review".
276118
Nothing has been stripped away from you. You still have the freedom to practice your religion, as you choose.\nThat is the commonality that separates the U.S. from other cultures. FREEDOM. There are other countries that practice Christianity. That is not what makes the USA the country that it is.\nFreedom is what separates us from others. The freedom to practice Christianity, or Judaism, Catholicism, Islam, etc., or no religion.\nThe freedom to dissent, without being arrested or killed. The freedom to bear arms. The freedom to come and go out of this country, as we please. The freedom to pick and choose our own mates, or none. The freedom to have 0 children or 10 children. The list is endless in this country.\nAs with all "families", we bicker amongst ourselves. But, as with all families, we stand together and fight against outsiders. \nAnd please don't bring up Iraq as an example of not standing together. I don't think too many people would have objected if we had stayed with the original goal of pursuing Bin-Laden and Al-Queda (sp?).\nWe're still more united than you think.\nAs far as the concept of separation of church and state, this is not a theocracy, rather a democracy or republic, however you would like to phrase it. The government should not be "exclusive", but "inclusive". To espouse one particular belief would exclude a very large segment of the population. One should never be made to feel like an "outsider" in ones' own country. Not in the United States. The land of freedom.\nAs long as we still have the right to go to our respective churches (or none) and worship as we please, there should be no complaints.
171073
Well first of all, this country was not built on separation of politics & religion. It was built on : no state sponsered religion and equality of all religions. If you look at our founding fathers, they incorporated thier religious beliefs into many aspects of government and politics.\nSo in my opinion , on the religious and political front, our country is out of step with what the framers of the Constitution intended it to be.
16634
Private donations, and offerings from congregation. separation of church and state makes it, illegal for state local, or federal , governments to give financial aid
235846
No, but the Republican party is sure touting that there is a war on Christianity to polarize certain groups because that will get them put into office.  There are also groups that think the US should be a theocracy but that is blatantly unconstitutional.  Sorry, it's a democracy where all of us have the same rights.
576510
Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791\n\nCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.\n\nGiven the first amendment above, since Congress cannot make any prohibitions on the free exercise of religion any U.S. President certainly has not the right to do that either.  Also, if he goes so far as to kick Pagans or Wiccans out because of their religious beliefs that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.