The First Amendment

       The folloing is the post which was not posted at the first of the Month.  I still don't know how I goofed.

            We again celebrated our nation’s birthday on July Fourth.  We celebrate independence from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States as an independent country.  I also celebrate the establishment of a country where there is separation of church and state.

             On my van is a bumper sticker which reads, “Separation of Church and State. Good for Both.” A middle aged man, who identified himself as the son of a Baptist preacher, was loading some chairs into the van.  He commented that “Separation of Church and State” is not in the constitution but are words penned by Thomas Jefferson.  He was familiar with the issue, he assured me.  The claim that the words are not in the constitution is one of the facts marshaled against such separation by those who would end the neutrality of our government in religions affairs.  Generally they are advocates for Bible reading or study in public schools (Which Bible or which religion?), monuments or other religious symbols on government property, or government money to pay tuition to religious schools.

            Those who use this argument seem to ignore the context in which President Jefferson wrote.  In a letter of assurance to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut in 1802, he coined the phrase in explaining the impact of the First Amendment to the Constitution.  The amendment, of course, states the government shall make no law concerning the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion.  Jefferson said, “Thus building a wall of separation between church and state.”  The amendment itself, in Jefferson’s opinion, built the wall.  He was only explaining it.

            Jefferson believed religion to be a private matter between an individual and his God, and government should not get involved.  Where government has been involved with religion the results were bad for both.  We only need to study European history, or look at contemporary nations where governments seek to impose religious practice on their people.

            As we celebrate the freedom of our country, also celebrate with me freedom of religion in our country.

Grace and peace.