Freedom Defender

Reporting on politics, society, principles, Christian interest and news that intrigues me.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

Separation of Church and State: Good Idea or Unconstitutional Persecution?

You hear the term 'Separation of Church and State' a lot from the Secular Humanist liberal mainstream media. And they promote it as a good thing. In fact some go even as far to say that it is a constitutional principle... guess what? It's not in there. Is it in the Declaration of Independence??? Nope!

Where did the liberal media and the Secular Humanist extremists get their rhetoric from? The term "Separation of Church and State" was never in the Constitution. Where does it come from? It was in a DRAFT letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists. The Danbury Baptist draft letter in entirety said:

"Gentlemen:
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which are so good to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association, give me the highest satisfaction. My duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of the government reach actions only, and 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 and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore man to all of his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessings of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.

Thomas Jefferson"

An online copy of the Danbury Baptist draft letter is located here.

The context of Jefferson's comment is that the legislators should not establish a state religion or laws that prohibit (oppress) religion (religious groups). In McCollum v. Board of Education District 71 in 1948 was the first time the meaning of this term was changed to remove God from Schools. They removed a class about religious views taught by coalition of Jewish, Roman Catholic & Protestant leaders. This class was not mandatory. This was one of the first assaults on the freedom of religion (people were free to take or not take this course - this was also an assault on the freedom of speech). Some may argue if someone is not comfortable with the separation in school, and wants their values taught in school, they are free to send their child to a private school. This is not true especially for the poor. The poor do not have the choice that rich people do to change Schools. If voucher system the Republicans proposed were implemented, that would be true, but now the Secular Humanist school system holds captive the poor and indoctrinates them with their State religion (Secular Humanism/Atheism). The voucher system for schools would help free the poor from this religious oppression, but the Secular Humanists in the Democrat party have fought hard to oppose the freedom to allow any beliefs besides their own indoctrination. I hope we the people can regain the freedom of religion in schools, as promised in the first amendment.

Some liberals get confused... I'm not trying to force a religion on anyone... right now the rights of students to express freedom of religion and even the choice to attend religious schools is being infringed upon (especially the poor are being infringed upon). I wish that the Government imposed Secular Humanism/Atheism was not forced in schools. I don't see why the typical liberal view of pluralism and highlighting the morals of each religion is so bad. I don't see what's wrong with it except that it breaks up the monopoly the Secular Humanists/Atheists have over the school system.

An example of this tyranny is that in California (of course) a Christian teacher was singled out and barred from handing out collected excerpts of the Declaration of Independence because it referenced "God" in it. This religious oppression in schools has gone too far... to prohibit handing out excerpts of one of our nations founding documents. It's getting absurd now.

The draft of the Danbury Baptist letter (not even the actual letter), where everyone gets the term 'Separation of Church and State' from, was written with the intent to prohibit a State forced religion, but now the Human Secularist extremists use it to give themselves a religious monopoly in the public School system. This letter was written to protect religious freedoms of speech and expression, but now it is being used to oppress religious freedoms in public schools. This is an egregious account of manipulation of original intent. This is an atrocity to the principles this letter was written to defend. Stand up for your freedom America, don't let the secular extremist left steal your liberty!

2 Comments:

At 1:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry to tell you this, but that Reuters Story about a California teacher who was banned from teaching the Declaration of Independence was a completely bogus story. It is amazing to me to see the right wing continue to use it as an example of left wing tyranny over schools. You guys fight dirty and should be ashamed of yourselves.

 
At 11:46 AM, Blogger FreedomDefender said...

Well thanks anonymous for the heads up that my Reuters link doesn't work anymore. Yep, you just can't trust the liberal mainstream media when they print the news... sad.

Your claim that the story is "bogus" is a little extreme, however. The Christian teacher was singled out and told not to use the excerpts of the Declaration of Independence in his supplimental teaching materials. Yes the entire Declaration of Independence was not banned, but one teacher who was a proffessed Christian was singled out and only HE was not permitted to use the excerpts he chose from the Declaration of Independence.

I have updated my link and updated my article with the specific details that it is parts of the Declatation of Independence that were banned. I suppose there could be confusion to some people, so I have specified that detail now.

Thanks for the comment and God Bless!

 

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