--- In [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > In a message dated 9/13/06 6:22:07 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > The "separation clause" you refer to comes from > a letter to the Danbury Baptists from Thomas > Jefferson, in which he explicitly *describes* the > First Amendment's establishment/First Amendme > clauses as establishing "a wall of separation > between church and state": > > "...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 & STATE...." (emphasis > added) > > > > Yes Judy , you have explained your logic concerning this matter before > which has become the norm for most liberals and some conservatives in the > later > half of the 20th century. However, you are quoting Jefferson's letter to a > Baptist preacher that was concerned that the government was going to > establish a > state religion as was often the norm in Europe, i.e. Anglican church in > England, Catholic in France, Italy and Spain, Dutch Reform in Holland perhaps > > Lutheran in Germany, Russian Orthodox in Russia, Greek Orthodox in Greece > etc.. > Jefferson reassured the preacher that the government would not pass any laws > establishing a state church or state religion. That is why the first > amendment > says the congress shall make no *laws* establishing religion , but quickly > follows with, or prohibit the *free* exercise thereof or abridge *free > speech*... But there is nothing in the Constitution that says that there is a > > separation of church and state meaning that the people who govern or are > governed > can not express religious belief on federally controlled property of which I > gave the Congress as an example including many oaths that are taken when > taking a federal office. That was never the intention. >
However, it was acknolwedged many years ago that requiring an "oath" was offensive to people of some religions, including Quakers (and atheists for that matter). 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 <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
