If the USA passed a law proclaiming the separation of church and state then... ?
341603
Actually no law was passed.  It is in the constitution.      * First Amendment – Freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government.\n    "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." \n\nSo the idea of seperation of church and state comes from the First Amendment.  There is nothing to prevent us from fighting in a religious war, even though the previous post was correct about the fighting in Israel. But we acually have no troops there, although we do send financial aid and weapons to Israel.
672106
Make it optional, no need to pledge allegiance to the flag every morning at all, and make the "God" part optional when saying it.  I think it's more important for kids to understand the Constitutional principles for which this country is founded and is the LAW than some abstract references to what the "proper religion" was at the time of its creation.  I can't find a single reference to a "state religion" in that or any document, including all the articles of confederation.  All I see is that Congress shall make NO LAW regarding the establishment of religion or the free excercise thereof.\n\nMeaning to me that people are freely allowed to excercise their right or abstain from referring to God or Gods in a public forum.  On another note, I don't want any reference to religion in school, that's what the home, church, and parental responsibility are for.  If a religious group wants to meet after school, go for it, but don't make it compulsory or degrading.
466492
yes.  Your supposed to seperate church and state.
837922
There is no such separation. It's not then the Constitution, the ESTABLISHMENT clause is. That prevents the Government for creating a church or saying this is the church of the United States.\n\nIf I remember right it was in the papers of Thomas Jefferson that first brought up the separation of church and state, I may be wrong, you can look it up if it's important.\n\nBut lets say a church does want federal money to provide a service to the community, say Meal on Wheels and do it at loss. That's to say the money they receive wouldn't cover the cost of the program. They decide that they would do it for their fellow man. A lot of people would say NO,  separation of church and state. I would say as long as they don't discriminate, don't discuss religion, don't wear their church uniforms if they have one, deliver the meal in an plain car marked with only Meals on Wheel, and agree to some, not a lot, of over site why not? Church's have almost always been able to deliver more aid cheaper then the government.\n\nA lot of people have taken this way too far. First it not in the Constitution and second if the rules are carefully written and any church is willing to follow them why not let them provide the service and fill the need?\n\nJust something to think about.
211226
Nothing.  In America there is seperation of church and state as long as it is presumed that christianity will always be included.
1125617
Technically, your question's answer is zero -- the United States as an entity does not "recognize" nor endorse any religion or religions. That's covered in the first amendment of the Constitution -- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."\n\nAs such, the government is prevented from establishing any licensing requirements, certifications, etc. for religious groups or religion. Pretty much anybody who wants to say "My religion is this" can do so. \n\nThis question may be confused with a different issue -- what happens when a law of the US would conflict with the practice of a certain religion (peyote smoking by Indians, for example). For a decent answer to that question, call a lawyer.
789945
When you repeal that section of the First Amendment.  You know, the part that says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
356472
i don't think so, the law shouldn't be affected by the church. and if you're Muslim and want to vote, wouldn't you feel unconfortable in a church?  I think that only Christians would vote if the elections were held in churches, and that isn''t democracy.
1054486
Separation of church and state was adopted when our country was formed to prevent our governmet from sanctioning or adopting a particular religion as an official state religion. However, our constitution does make spiritual references. The fear at the time was that a government would do what England did in forming the Chrch of England. Religiuos freedom does not mean freedom from religion. Lots of our laws are based on spiritual beliefs (like the 10 comandments). If the overwhelming majority are  christian and opposed to gay marriage, they will elect representatives who will pass laws to restrict or ban it. If the constitution is strictly interpreted, there is nothig in there that makes a gay marriage ban unconstitutional. However, marriage in and of itself is a religious institution. If a religion is against gay marriage, does the government have the right to impose gay marriage on it? That may be protected in the constitution. I think the answer is civil unions. If the government performed and recognized civil unions and let churches and religious institutions perform marriages, there might be the solution. If you are Catholic for example, get married in a Church. As a Catholic you are married and seen as such by your relgion. Instead of a marriage license, you get a civil union license (which would be religion neutral) from the government. Then gay people can do the same. If they want to call themselves married, so be it. No religion is forced to adopt something against its beliefs and thegvernment separates itself from any religious implications by calling any legal union of 2 people a civil union. Just my idea though.
377915
Absolutely.  It's funny that Christians call it persecution when they are forced to obey the law.  No other religion gets to put up their commandments in the courthouses, but block the Christian 10 commandments suddenly it's persecution!\n\nOur country was not founded on any god, it was founded on the Constitution.  The consitution has an amendment barring Congress from making any law that respects the establishment of religion.\n\n[edit] for the person below who mistakenly thinks the constitution allows establishement of religion:\n\n"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\ncongress cannot do anything that even touches on establishement of religion.
1169039
That's exactly it, though. We're NOT the minority, but we somehow shouldn't have any influence in this country according to many. And it's not equal treatment...equal treatment would be to include all religions into schools, etc, not to eliminate Christianity.\n\nAnd although it's tempting for many to do this (and I recognize you haven't), I can't stand it when people try and use the Constitution as a source for this - the only thing the constitution says is that the government shall make no laws with respect to establishment of religion...at least that's the gist although i don't have the exact wording in front of me. Last I checked, crosses and prayers do not force anyone to believe a certain way. Do people realize the founding fathers prayed before their meetings?
109289
No. It would go against the idea of relgious freedom. Just because most of the population is christion does not mean it should be recognized. That would be like saying the US is a white Nation.
117627
I would first make all americans realise that this great country build on solid christian foundations realise that we have gone astray from the biblical principals and the convictions of our founding fathers. I would call for a fast and ask the nation to rededicate itself to God and cleanse the nation of all ungodliness and get rid of all idolatory and sin and once again urge people to honour God and follow what God wants us to do.
51737
It wasn't meant to keep the church or the ten commandments out of society.  The 'separation of church and state' comes from the clause in the first amendment which states:  \n\n"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. . "\n\nThe interpretations of this have bastardized the original intent of the Founders to the extent that what it says and what they mean are entirely different things.  We had those things on our money because the Founders never intended to eliminate them from society.\n\nAll they intended to do was prohibit any state sponsored religion
1077439
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.
661083
The separation of church and state was from a Thomas Jefferson speech and not found in the Constitution.\n\nHad the First Amendment been advertised as a path way to remove faith from the public square it would have never been ratified. The First Amendment was installed to insure that Congress would not create a Church that put the Government in the role of theologian. \n\nThe Founders were looking to prevent Congress from establishing a Religion where they were above the law and to be worshipped. They did not want a repeat of King Henry VIII who created a Church where he ostensibly replaced the Pope.
135276
Seperation of church and state only goes as far as the 1st ammendment specifies:\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\nSwearing on a bible is not a law made by congress establishing religion, nor is it preventing the free practice thereof.  \n\nBTW, It is well established that a bible need not be used. You can simply take the oath.