Separation of Church and State

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<h1>Separation of Church and State</h1><strong> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Steve-0.aspx'>Steve-0</a></strong><br /><p>Nowhere in the United States Constitution is there anything written calling for a separation of state and church. "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." However, there's phraseology to the fact that this nation was to be a Christian one, without a sole group on top (such as all people must be Catholics, baptists or others). In other words, freedom from a centralized Christian Church and freedom to worhip God as any person should please. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is probably the group that is responsible for the destruction of Christianity, and the abuse of the phrase "Separation of Church and State." But where did this phrase come from, and what was it's original intention. It was found in a personal letter by Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists (who were concerned that Anglicanism might become the official established or denominational preference). They wanted his advice on certain church matters, and nothing else. It's not a law, political document nor anything official from the United States government whatsoever. Here's their letter to him and his return reply. Sir,-- "Among the many millions in America and Europe who rejoice in your election to office, we embrace the first opportunity which we have enjoyed in our collective capacity, since your inauguration , to express our great satisfaction in your appointment to the Chief Magistracy in the Unite States. And though the mode of expression may be less courtly and pompous than what many others clothe their addresses with, we beg you, sir, to believe, that none is more sincere. Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty: that Religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals, that no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions, [and] that the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbor. But sir, our constitution of government is not specific. Our ancient charter, together with the laws made coincident therewith, were adapted as the basis of our government at the time of our revolution. And such has been our laws and usages, and such still are, [so] that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation, and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights. And these favors we receive at the expense of such degrading acknowledgments, as are inconsistent with the rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore, if those who seek after power and gain, under the pretense of government and Religion, should reproach their fellow men, [or] should reproach their Chief Magistrate, as an enemy of religion, law, and good order, because he will not, dares not, assume the prerogative of Jehovah and make laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ. Sir, we are sensible that the President of the United States is not the National Legislator and also sensible that the national government cannot destroy the laws of each State, but our hopes are strong that the sentiment of our beloved President, which have had such genial effect already, like the radiant beams of the sun, will shine and prevail through all these States--and all the world--until hierarchy and tyranny be destroyed from the earth. Sir, when we reflect on your past services, and see a glow of philanthropy and goodwill shining forth in a course of more than thirty years, we have reason to believe that America's God has raised you up to fill the Chair of State out of that goodwill which he bears to the millions which you preside over. May God strengthen you for the arduous task which providence and the voice of the people have called you--to sustain and support you and your Administration against all the predetermined opposition of those who wish to rise to wealth and importance on the poverty and subjection of the people. And may the Lord preserve you safe from every evil and bring you at last to his Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Glorious Mediator." Signed in behalf of the Association, Dodge, Robbins and Nelson. Gentlemen,-- "The affectionate sentiment 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 his 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 would "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." Thomas Jefferson The Constitution's restrictions on the government's intrusion into the private religious convictions of its citizenry does not mean that all aspects of religion should be kept completely out of the affairs of the State. That secular ideology is entirely foreign to the original intent of the Founding Fathers. They drafted the Constitution, including its Bill of Rights, as a clearly defined limitation on the power of the government to interfere with the freedoms of the people, but not as a limitation on the power of the people to control the government according to the beliefs of their own hearts. President John Quincy Adams, the son of the great statesman from Massachusetts who did so much to inspire the Declaration of Independence, stated the truth succinctly on July 4, 1821: "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." Not many Americans today even remember that it was the Great Awakening and the fiery sermons of the Patriot Pastors that sparked the American Revolution, or that the rallying cry of the Colonial rebels was "No King but Jesus?" No, sadly, most Americans today have been spoon-fed a poison porridge of revisionist lies that claim George Washington and Company were all rationalistic Desists seeking to advance the secular ideals of the French Enlightenment. It bothers me that so many schoolchildren in America are growing up ignorant of their country's religious heritage, which is so deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition that even the Supreme Court of a century ago saw fit to declare officially that "our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian . . . this is a Christian nation." (Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 1892) Fifty years later, the Liberal icon Justice William O. Douglas wrote for the Court: "The First Amendment, however, does not say that in every respect there shall be a separation of Church and State . . . We find no constitutional requirement makes it necessary for government to be hostile to religion and to throw its weight against the efforts to widen the scope of religious influence. The government must remain neutral when it comes to competition between sects . . . We cannot read into the Bill of Rights such a philosophy of hostility toward religion." (Zorach v. Clauson, 1952) Still, many Americans mistakenly believe the phrase "separation of church and state" exists in the Constitution. It doesn't. Why are so many Americans been lied to? Because three generations of secular humanist educators and atheistic ACLU ideologues have parroted this big lie so often that the dumbed-down, indoctrinated masses have finally begun to believe it, and simply because nobody ever bothered to explain to them the actual meaning of it. This blatant distortion of our nation's history is a slap in the face of American taxpayers, who are footing the bill for this widespread anti-Christian disinformation campaign. The public schools should be teaching our children the truth, not just what they want kids to believe according to their own political philosophies. Those of us who know the truth need to hold these Liberals accountable for their insidious lies. </p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br />Danbury Letter, Thomas Jefferson, American civil Liberties Union, Wikipedia<p> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Separation-of-Church-and-State_97661.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Separation of Church and State_97661.aspx</a></p>

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Keywords : Danbury Letter, Thomas Jefferson, separation, church, and, state, Christian, secular, freedom, worship, nation, letter, Constitution, Unit,

Category : Reference and Education : K 12 Education