The Separation of Church and State

As an American do you believe in “The Separation of Church and State”?  Do you believe that we must abide by this according to the U.S. Constitution?  If you do, you are not alone. Many citizens believe that this phrase is found in the American Constitution which makes it a law of the land.   If you are one of these good folks, then please take a few minutes to review a copy of the Constitution to find where it is written.  You will not find it.  It is not, nor has it ever been, in the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence or any other governmental statute.   It can be located, however, in the constitution of the former U.S.S.R.  That is right, the U.S.S.R.! 

The Constitution does say:  

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  

That gives all Americans the right to exercise free speech, which includes praying to God, and the right of the people to peacefully assemble.   We also have the right to assemble on government property since:

1.  The Constitution gives no restrictions as to where we assemble peacefully, public or private. (But it does restrict its own power so that government will not encroach upon religion.) 

2.  We are citizens in good standing who pay taxes.  Our tax money is then used for the maintenance of government properties to which we have free access.  (Used with permission when necessary).  

3.  We the people are self-governed and thereby make up the government through free elections. Therefore, government property belongs to the citizens.  To quote Lincoln; that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

If praying publicly over 180 years has violated the U.S. Constitution or the so-called “separation of church and state clause” why then has it been tolerated for the first 180 years of our existence?

Wondering where did the “separation of church and state” came from?  It was found in a private letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Danbury Baptists Association reassuring them that the government would never interfere with the Church or freedom of religion. 

“The 'wall of separation between church and State' is a metaphor based on bad history, a metaphor which has proved useless as a guide to judging. It should be frankly and explicitly abandoned.”   ~ Chief Justice Rehnquist http://www.scionofzion.com/church_and_state.htm 

-Pastor Gary A Smith
(Repost from 4.4.17)

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Thoughts from Gary

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