Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Hey,
You know how the government takes Thomas Jefferson's phrase "wall of separation of Church and State" and says that it means that the government can have nothing to do whatsoever with religion, even to a point where they won't let a church share buildings with a school?  Well, here's another quote from Jefferson.
"[N]o man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."

Also, from the Bill of Rights:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Both of these are saying that no one should be forced to profess a certain faith, not that there should be no contact between Church and State.

And, Jefferson's quote about the wall of separation of church and state is badly taken out of context.  What it means, as most of you probably know, is that the government cannot keep people from freely worshiping, not that Church and State can have no contact.

Wouldn't it be nice if the government knew that?

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