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To: Mylo
Context, context, context.

Here's a blurb from the same author about James Madison:

"James Madison trained for ministry with the Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon, and Madison's writings are replete with declarations of his faith in God and in Christ. In fact, for proof of this, one only need read his letter to Attorney General Bradford wherein Madison laments that public officials are not bold enough about their Christian faith in public and that public officials should be "fervent advocates in the cause of Christ." And while Madison did allude to a "wall of separation," contemporary writers frequently refuse to allow Madison to provide his own definition of that "wall." According to Madison, the purpose of that "wall" was only to prevent Congress from passing a national law to establish a national religion."

Don't get hung up on a word. Look to how the word is used.

6 posted on 08/18/2005 12:05:33 PM PDT by dukeman
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To: dukeman
The word is used, again and again, to SEPERATE church from state.

As Madison said, simply and succinctly...



Every new and successful example therefore of a PERFECT SEPARATION between ecclesiastical and civil matters is of importance........religion and government will exist in greater purity, without (rather) than with the aid of government. [James Madison in a letter to Livingston, 1822, from Leonard W. Levy- The Establishment Clause, Religion and the First Amendment,pg 124]

And...

What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people.

Yeah, such a rare sentiment that the author of the first amendment only said it a few DOZEN times, and used in exactly the same sense as Jefferson used the phrase "wall of separation".

At least your not drinking the H. Lee Levin Kool-Aid on how his Danbury letter was in reference to the 10th rather than the 1st amendment (despite Jefferson using the EXACT LANGUAGE OF THE FIRST AMMENDMENT immediately preceding the "..thus erecting a wall of separation between church and state."

A lie is still a lie no matter who said it or how often it is repeated.
8 posted on 08/18/2005 12:25:22 PM PDT by Mylo ("Those without a sword should sell their cloak and buy one" Jesus of Nazareth)
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