Why are some people against the separation of church and state?

Question

I read this article on the Y! homepage:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts29…

Looking through some of the comments on the article above, I started again to wonder why some people were decisively against the separation of church and state (in the USA).

After all, doesn't the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment guarantee that government will not "make [any] law respecting an establishment of religion"? Doesn't Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli say that "the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion"?

I would like to hear the opinions of everyone, especially the opinions of people who view the United States as a Christian nation or people who are against the separation of church and state. Others are welcome to comment too. Also, I would like everyone to keep it civil, if possible.

Answer 1

I think the biggest reason they don't like the separation of church and state is because they (and I'm talking Christian's here) have a majority, so by default it would be their religion that the state would be respecting above others.



Look at the answers here, all of the people that think Separation shouldn't exist want the state to endorse THEIR religion, not ALL and certainly not ANY OTHER religion. They think that "One nation under God" is fine - but their heads would explode if it said "One nation under Allah" or "One nation under Zeus".



I've also noticed that many of them really do not understand what Separation of Church and State encompasses and what it does not. We are not trying to "ban Christmas trees from airports". Airports are not government property, neither are local businesses, churches, or people's homes. Spending $100k on a statue featuring the 10 commandments in a court building breaks the separation because you're using government property, and by definition tax payer property, and by definition tax payer money to promote one religious view over another. Separation prevents teachers from teaching that the stories in the Bible are true, but it doesn't prevent teaching literature or stories in the Bible as myths - in the same way that The Odyssey can be taught as myth. It also doesn't prevent students nor teachers from reading the Bible, or Quran, or anything else in their own free time while at school - so long as they aren't disrupting others while they do it.



The law should not have any preference for any belief (religious or not) that can't be backed up by strong evidence. I feel that if a law is going to make a statement, such as "one nation under God" or "in god we trust", they should have to prove it true in a court of law first.

Answer 2

Page not found.

Either way, I am for separation. Relgious views are...a rough guideline for how people SHOULD act, or at least that's what theyre supposed to be for. The bible reflects what is commonly and automatically right and wrong within a group of people.



The State represents how people WILL act (laws, regulation, etc.) It's like an updated version of the bible, applied very literally to everything people come into contact with. The difference is that laws aren't ambiguous and aren't expressed with a tall tale or a moral. They also don't convince people to stone cheaters to death or throw feces at others ;) trust me i've read it in the bible, but I digress.



What's my point? Humans are flawed, perfect creatures. We made one book believing it was from something greater than themselves (an all-powerful God), in a time when we weren't sure of anything and had very little knowledge of how the world ticks. Today we are more informed and know better and live by something greater (that is, government). We control what we can, but crave something that will serve as an all-knowing, protector, guide which is the appeal of religion.



Sorry none of this makes sense, I can't put my thoughts into the right structure. Deduce what you can and be off!

Answer 3

The true idea of Separation of Church and State actually came from Ben Franklin in a letter he wrote "after" the Constitution was written.



One day, people will learn our true history regarding our founding fathers and come to understand that America was founded on Christian values. Our founding fathers were not a bunch of atheist as the left wants you to believe.



Try reading: "Samuel Adams: A Life by Ira Stoll". But then, that's only if you want to know the truth. Yeah, believe it or not, Samuel Adams was a real person, not a beer.



Now then, getting back to your question/comment. The only time libs are all for separation is when it's convenient for them. Have you not heard Nancy Pelosi recently telling religious leaders to talk up the Cap & Trade Bill? She's telling them to tell us that it's something we have to have. So, if Church and State are supposed to be separate, why is the Speaker of the House, stepping into the pulpit?

Answer 4

Some people are against seperation of church and state because they, not surprisingly, are staunchly religious. For one, they are poorly informed as to what the Constitution and our Founding Fathers said about the subject.



But, also, they firmly believe that God himself will smite their country if they collectively do not support their religion. Sounds crazy, but I'm serious. The fundamentalist Christians often quote the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible.

Answer 5

Actually its the 1st amendment that that says government can't establish a religion. It makes absolutely no mention of a separation between church and state. Read the Constitution. It's not in there.

Answer 6

Just look at Muslim countries, where the whole law of the country is based on religion! They justify keeping women under harsh conditions, and even sexually mutilating them, by saying it's Allah's will.

In some "Christian" countries, just because a women spoke her mind, she was either burnt at the stake, or dunked in water as a witch, just because the priest said she was bad.

Religions are just superstitions with no basis in fact, and should have nothing to do with running a country.

Answer 7

I didn't see any article on the link.

What examples do you have that show the need of separation of church and state?

Please, not the tired old Christmas decorations and a public official saying '"Merry Christmas"

That is not forcing religion on anyone. Nor is someone wearing a cross in a govt office.

Answer 8

specific and no. us of a must be a loose u . s . the place no faith is compelled on all and sundry. faith must additionally be stored out of the government and should no longer learn in a changing way in public faculties. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, I additionally experience like the warring parties for church and state can in specific situations bypass a sprint too some distance. with the aid of fact that no one is knowledgeable on faith in public faculties, a lot of stereotypes kind. this would clarify why there is plenty discrimination against limitless religions. i think that it fairly is important for faith to benefit in an informative way. I additionally be attentive to that student rights are in jeopardy. fairly quickly pupils should not be waiting to wish to themselves in college, or commence their very own religious agencies or perhaps convey their religious theory. there grew to become right into a contemporary incident revolving floor 0. The affiliation of atheists have been given annoyed that there grew to become right into a go contained in the memorial. They cautioned that it get replaced to an 'atom' to be greater religiously impartial. This grew to become into merely poor to study.... the first public of people who died in 9/11 have been christian, and so have been their households. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, those human beings have been so caught up on separation of church and state that they misplaced sight of the victims and kinfolk and used the poor tragedy for their very own selfish income... i assume i'd like a sturdy stability. i decide for there to be freedom of religion, yet i do no longer decide for faith 'banished'.

Answer 9

Bush missed that in his president 101 just a few months before the pet goat story.



Private interest groups may not indoctrinate the nation into a specific set of religious values through public policy.

Answer 10

It has gone too far.



What are founding fathers were trying to do with this was similar to what Free Masons believe in, you can agree that there is a higher being (God) and leave all else out.



This want to ban Christmas Trees in air ports, and students from praying, and the forced removal of the ten commandments from court houses

Answer 11

the separation of church and state, is cited out of a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to a minority religion afraid of government discrimination. the actual words "separation of church and state" refers to protection of religion from the government not the other way around. it is no way a green light to ban the pledge of allegiance from the classroom.

Answer 12

because there is nothing to "be for it"



the Constitution NEVER says Separation of Church and State