03-30-2016, 09:32 AM
(03-30-2016, 08:55 AM)Vlad Wrote: Actually "separation of church and state" is never mentioned in the Constitution. It was first coined by Thomas Jefferson in response to the Danbury Baptists who had asked for Jeffersons intervention regarding a religious matter in Connecticut.
Jefferson said sorry cant help you... for there must be a wall of separation between the Feds and religious matters of the states.
Leftist judges have taken that phrase and ran with it...cant have the 10 Commandments displayed in a judges courtroom because it violates the separation of church and state clause to which there is no such clause lol.
Congress shall make no law with regards to the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. No official religion is all it says.
It was first coined by Jefferson, but the idea of SOCAS is something that really got a kick start with Martin Luther in his two kingdoms doctrine. The idea became a large part of the Enlightenment thanks to John Locke. The Enlightenment, more than anything else, is what influenced the Bill of Rights. Jefferson used the term to describe a concept that was a large part of the Enlightenment and was designed to protect primarily the church from corruption by the state.
Now, I've never seen a judge refer to a SOCAS clause, but they have interpreted the establishment clause to mean that, essentially, an all or none approach should be taken to religions. In order for a government to give favor to one religion, they must give favor to all. If they are not willing, then they cannot give favor to any.
The country may have been founded on Christian beliefs because the country always has been predominantly Christian and therefore the people in power have always had an influence of their faith. But, this is not a Christian nation. We do not have a state church. There is no official status within any religion for our elected officials and clergy are afforded no positions in the government due to their status simply as clergy. The state is secular, and that is as it should be.
