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Originally Posted by transplant99
Again...there is no actual clause in the amendment to ensure seperation of church and state...if i am reading those links correctly.
The way they invoked the idea is to not use the word "god" within the Constitution...thereby ensuring that seperation would exist?
I was always under the beleif that there was wording within the constitution that specifcally addressed the whole issue...apparently there is not.
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I'm not a legal scholar--but to me, the key is "no law respecting any establishment of religion." I interpret that to mean that government can make no law that limits or curtails religious practice--and can make no law granting authority to any religious body--in essence, can make no law that says anything one way or another about religion.
Incidentally, the lack of "god" in the constitution is pretty significant--as is the use of the world "creator" in the declaration of independence. Jefferson and Adams were Deists, not Christians. Franklin was either a methodist or an atheist, depending on his mood.
Essentially, people who claim the U.S. was founded on "Christian Values" are full of it. But you'd be shocked how many people believe it to be true.