Wall Of Separation Between Church State example essay topic

Thomas Jefferson's reply on January 1, 1802, to the Danbury Baptists Association contains a piece of text that to many explains the religious clause in the first amendment. The First amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances", an amendment that has been under scrutiny on all sides. The first phrase according to the Library of Congress is the segment Jefferson was referring to when he wrote his final letter. In the final letter Jefferson states", 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. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties".

To build a stronger case one must look at the original draft also available from the Library of congress where in the same paragraph he states", 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 eternal separation between Church & State. Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorized only to execute their acts, I have refrained from prescribing even those occasional performances of devotion, practiced indeed by the Executive of another nation as the legal head of its church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect, confining myself therefore to the duties of my station, which are merely temporal, be assured that your religious rights shall never be infringed by any act of mine and that". The difference between the final and the original is that the final is less aggressive and takes more of colorful tone. In either case it is clear that Jefferson did not believe a government body should be influenced by a religion because a "sects" leader might influence the decisions of a governing individual obstructing the purity of personal choice.

On September 27, 2003, the ten commandments display supported by Judge Roy Moore was denied an appeal to have the monument replaced by the supreme court by a vote of three to six. Judge Moore's argument is that the monument was to be in likeness of the supreme courts monument in that it was made to be a tribute of how our government was formed and that it was not to be secular and for those that thought it was were searching for a theocratic government and no American should want that. Despite his argument the supreme court rejected his appeal stating it was a conflict between church and state. In my views in regards to church and state I believe as Jefferson believed. If you look at history and see how wars like the crusades and every other holy war was started the governing body gained nothing by fighting over a religious belief with nothing but faith as their proof of authenticity. However the one exception is the United States, but we fought for religious freedom to practice our own individual faiths unobstructed by a governing body (amendment 1).

With that said it would be foolish to say that our government is not already influenced by ones beliefs, but it is that denying of an individuals beliefs to be forced upon ones community and only the people with in their household that makes our democracy work. So do I believe in a separation between church and state by all means especially because by accepting ones religion we might deny another's beliefs or happiness. If it ain't broke don't fix it.