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To: Treader
By the simple minded fact- that I referred to these aforementioned Founding Documents- such as- The Bill of Rights, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

The original term you used was "Documents of Federation" which I hadn't heard before and so did a google search. That phrase does not seem to be in common usage, if indeed it is used at all, to refer to our founding documents.

As to the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence, the language used is not specific enough to make a clear case for either your contention or mine. We must then try to determine intent by looking at other contemporaneous documents. The phrase "wall of separation", to my knowledge was first used by Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and a founding father. Further we find a very clear, unequivocal statement in the treaty with Tripoli. The treaty was unanimously ratified by the Senate and signed by the President, giving weight to the notion that the United States was not founded on the Christian religion (does it make sense that if the US was founded as a Christian nation these men would ratify and sign a treaty specifically stating it wasn't?). The Constitution gives the treaty the force of law meaning that if the intent were not clear before, it is clear now.

Non of that diminishes the role religion played in the lives of the men who founded our country or the role they hoped religion would continue to play in the lives of citizens.

154 posted on 05/09/2005 12:50:28 AM PDT by lucysmom
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To: lucysmom

I applaud your stalwart application of constitutional theory. Perhaps you are correct- there is a separation of church and state. I won't bother to mention details, since my general reference was clearly not broad enough. Please feel secure in the fact- that several residing Supreme Court Justice agree with you; in that a broader living interpetation of those now untimely silly Founding Documents are indeed neccessary and perpetual. They even now apply 300 year old foreign law and everthing in between. You should & will be quite happy.


155 posted on 05/09/2005 2:17:43 AM PDT by Treader (Hillary's dark smile is reminiscent of Stalin's inhuman grin...)
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