The Necessary Separation of Church and State in America Essay

The Necessary Separation of Church and State in America On January 1, 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Committee of the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut in which he stated: â€Å"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, 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 State.† (Jefferson,1802, Letter to Danbury†¦show more content†¦When the original 13 colonies were established in what came to be the United States of America, the goal of the British government was to expand on its resources for trade materials and manufactured goods. Because the colonies were young and not established firmly, there were labor shortages and many of the first colonists died of starvation. In an effort to remedy the shortage, the British government sent indentured servants to work in the colonies until their debts had been repaid. Among the indentured servants and military members sent to the colonies by the government, were a large number of citizens who were seeking freedom from persecution due to differing religious and political beliefs. By the time Thomas Jefferson wrote the Danbury Letter, the country had begun growing in a direction that differed from their British history. Thomas Jefferson’s intent in establishing the wall of separation between church and state was not to eliminate religion from the new society, but to protect the integrity and purity of religion as practiced by its citizens. This protection offered by the separation of church and state has provided a foundation of strength and opportunity gained through understanding and learningShow MoreRelated A Guard on Religious Freedom Essay765 Words   |  4 PagesIn the eyes of our founding fathers, few things seemed as important as the separation of church and state. The first amendment grants all Americans the freedom to subscribe to any religion they wish and promises that the government will not promote any religion above any other. Although the separation of church and state and the freedom of religion are firmly and concretely secured in the Constitution of the United States, events in the recent past bring to question whether this ideal is under threatRead MoreEssay on The Sepa ration of Church and State1043 Words   |  5 PagesThe Separation of Church and State America wastes a lot of time trying to create a democracy completely absent of the moral expectations that our ancestors have put into place. Our founding fathers’ dream of establishing a country in which all people would be accepted has begun to fall. In our attempt to rid our country of a democracy contaminated with any belief in a supreme power, we have rid ourselves of many of our values and morals. Perhaps it is impossible for religion to dominate ourRead More Separation of Church and State Essay examples988 Words   |  4 PagesSeparation of Church and State America is constantly evolving and redefining itself. We have come to the point where we are less inclined to criticize individuals that are different from us and more inclined to embrace eachother’s eccentricities. Those who oppose a separation between church and state claim that because this country was founded on religious principles, our government should continue to base its laws on Christianity. An article entitled, â€Å"Standing up for Church-StateRead More Keep Church and State Separated Essay1667 Words   |  7 PagesKeep Church and State Separated missing works cited America is constantly evolving and redefining itself. Those who oppose a separation between church and state claim that because this country was founded on religious principles, our government should continue to base its laws on a Judeo-Christian God. An article entitled, â€Å"Standing up for Church-State Separation in Difficult Times,† states that, â€Å"Religious Right groups are crowing and insisting that they have some sortRead MoreEssay on The Struggle Between Two Sides: Church and State1383 Words   |  6 PagesThe separation of the state and church refers to the distinct distance in the relationship that exists between the national state and the organized church. Although the aspect of separation between the state and the church has worked in a number of nations, the degree of separation varies depending on the valid legal policies and laws in relationship with the prevalence views on the religious aspect of the society. In most of the nations that practice such separation, there exists distinct rulesRead More Separation of Church and State is Necessary for Freedom of Choice855 Words   |  4 PagesSeparation of Church and State is Necessary for Freedom of Choice We in America have the right to be free, so why not listen to the words of Thomas Jefferson and build a â€Å"wall of separation between church and state?†Ã‚   The wall of separation was Jefferson’s interpretation of the first amendment; however, the idea was actually founder of Rhode Island Roger Williams’.   Jefferson’s belief was that religion was a personal relationship strictly between a man and his God and the government should notRead MoreThe Separation Of The State And Church1535 Words   |  7 PagesThe separation of the state and church refers to the distinct distance in the relationship that exists between the national state and the organized church. Although the aspect of separation between the state and the church has worked in a number of nations, the degree of separation varies depending on the valid legal policies and laws in relationship with the prevalence views on the religious aspect of the society. In most of the nations that practi ce such separation, there exists distinct rulesRead MoreCivil Liberties Essay1315 Words   |  6 PagesFrom the beginning, the United States Constitution has guaranteed the American people civil liberties. These liberties have given citizens rights to speak, believe, and act freely. The Constitution grants citizens the courage to express their mind about something they believe is immoral or unjust. The question is, how far are citizens willing to extend the meanings of these liberties? Some people believe that American citizens take advantage of their civil liberties, harming those around themRead MoreSeparation of Church and State, or Not? Essay1151 Words   |  5 PagesToday, people in America believe in the phrase â€Å"separation of church and state.† This has been the belief since trials in the 1960s when people started use a phrase â€Å"wall of separation of church and state† from a letter President Jefferson wrote. These trials took prayer out of public schools along with any textbook having biblical truth. Many people say that this phrase is backed up by the First Amendment. Before â€Å"separation of church and state† was believed by many, schools could use quotesRead MoreThomas Jefferson And The Declaration Of Independence1125 Words   |  5 Pagescompromising state of unrest, and it gave a perfect environment for the development of a new law. According to Thomas Jefferson’s input to the law of the country, this time may have been one of the important for him. In fact, its significance is much better than earlier times when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. In this period, he wrote arrays of new statutes and worked hard to ensure that they were enacted. Principally, there were three major areas that were much concern to him: Separation of the