Social Science Clinic > Religion and Philosophy

What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?

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penguins:
This isn't a homework question in case you're wond'ring.

Sandstorm:
it means the govt can't establish a national religion - period. It does not mean all religious symbols must be stripped off public property

Yolanda:
It means that the federal government, due to a supreme court ruling, is not allowed to be aligned with or promote Christianity or any other religion in general, but the federal government can be aligned with and promote Judaism no problem. This is evident by the gigantic 40ft National Chanukah Menorah  featured prominently on the White House lawn (public property) every holiday season.

"Though there is nothing in the US Constitution that decrees a ?separation of church & state?, because we fear Christianity, we will do all on our power to prevent public expressions of the Christian religion.?

However, when it comes to asserting Judaism, we don?t give a hoot about the myth, ?separation of church & state?, thus we will do all in our power to promote public expressions of the Jewish religion."

curlz:
Well, actually, it doesn't say anywhere in our constitution that we are required to separate church and state. What it does say in the first amendment to the constitution is ""Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  Which put simply means that you should be free to exercise your religious preferences any way you want and that the government shouldn't try to force any particular one on you. Thomas Jefferson wrote "wall of separation between church and state," in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, and the meaning has been falsely attributed to the Constitution ever since.

Millan:
It means I shouldn't have to live in a theocracy of any kind.

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