Posts Tagged ‘Separation of church and state’
Religion, politics, and the First Amendment
How do we reconcile religion, politics and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which says in part, ”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…?” Did they only mean that government cannot get involved in religion or did they also mean that religion cannot get involved in government? Did they intend we remove our faith and its values from political discussions, from political opinions? Would this be a reasonable expectation?
God bless America
Is the day coming when we must say “In nothing we trust,” or “So help me nothing,” or “Nothing bless America?” Educators in Woodbury, Vermont cowered to such demands and make students who want to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to do so away from the classroom, so no one can hear the word God. In 2002, the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional under the First Amendment, because it mentions God. This was followed by a 2004 Supreme Court decision reversing the ninth Circuit Court, affirming that “teacher-led Pledge of Allegiance recitals in public schools are constitutional.”
The United States – “One nation under God?”
The funeral of a United States serviceman, who was killed in combat, ignited the debate over God and government. Is it inappropriate to mention God at a military funeral? Did we vote to become an agnostic nation? The debate continues because some individuals and groups believe any mention of God in government violates the “separation of church and state.” What were the intentions of our Founding Fathers for the United States of America?
