Stu, you are saying the seperation of church and state was asked for from religious people because the religions fight with each other over their different beliefs? So they make sure one religion does not have more power over the other religion?
Personally I don't think the US is or ever was a theocracy. theocracy 1 : government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided 2 : a state governed by a theocracy And you may want to find another ayatollah. I don't worship in any way, and I drink, curse, covet and lust too much. If there is such a place as hell, that's where you'll find me someday.
" The separation of church and state is a legal and political principle derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state" is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists, where Jefferson spoke of the combined effect of the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. It has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court. " All this confusion is that the role of religion in US politics is very interpretive.
+1 Great post Don't forget to credit our evangelical leaders. Here is Ted Haggard: Mr. Haggard was former pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a founder of the Association of Life-Giving Churches; and was THE LEADER of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS. Mr. Haggard also had a gay relationship with a 20+ year old man who he did meth with... this relationship lasted for several years. Hypocrites, hypocrites, hypocrites.