Re: [FairfieldLife] The "wall of separation"

[MDixon6569]

In a message dated 7/9/06 8:56:50 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In response to the claim that "separation of church and state" is a bogus concept because it isn't found in the Constitution and therefore cannot have been intended by the founders, here is where the phrase originated: ...Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of 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. --Thomas Jefferson, letter to the Danbury Baptists, January 1, 1802 Exactly, the minister of the Danbury Baptists had written a letter of concern to Jefferson that the new federal government may adopt a state religion, like the British had the Anglican Church, the French Catholic, perhaps the Dutch, Dutch Reform, Germans, Lutheran. Taxes were collected in these countries which supported their state religion and it was common through out Europe to persecute legally those who did not accept the state religion as the authority. This was not going to be allowed according to Jefferson. This was the wall of separation of church and state. Not that someone could not lead a prayer in a federal building or allow his religion to guide how or what  he thinks when it comes to public policy. __._,_.___ To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "FairfieldLife" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. __,_._,___