Someone please answer this question. Where is this phrase "separation of church and state" in our Constitution? Have read it several times and have not seen it.
Oh, that's right. It ISN'T!!!! It was from a letter that Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists.
What the Danbury Baptists wrote:
as an enemy of religion Law & good order because he will not, dares not assume the prerogative of Jehovah and make Laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ.
Jefferson's reply:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.
Amazing how our courts are starting to take things out of context and change the laws using misguided judgement. I see nowhere that government can make a law taking a young person's right to pray in school or force a judge to take down the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.
"make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,"
What is being inforced now is prohibiting ones "free exercise" of what they belive. We are given freedom of religion. Not freedom from religion.
