[Old Teufel Hunden]

"No state can pass a law restricting your freedom of speech or worship"

Again, you put words into my mouth that I never said. Where do I say that the state can pass laws restricting freedom of speech or worship? Please show me. Where you are in error is your definition of the first amendment in regards to freedom of worship. The first amendment protects your rights (in regards to worship) in two ways:

1. Congress will not establish a religion
2. You have a right to worship freely (this is the individual right)

How is putting a manger or christmas tree in front of a communities municipal building violating either of these things? You can't answer that because it doesn't violate it.

You probably did not even know that the states of Conneticut and Massachusettes had state mandated religions even after the constitution was ratified. Thomas Jefferson as governor of Virginia abolished the church of virginia while governor. I agree with his views, I don't want to live in a state that has a state mandated religion. However, he did not find it unconstitutional because that prohibition was on Congress. It's called federalism. When he spoke about the wall of separation between Church and State he was speaking of his own opinions and the position of the Federal government. While he personally felt that the Baptists in Conneticut had religious rights and not just priviledges he would in no way interfere with what the people of Conneticut had determined was best for them. As long as the state of Conneticut did not violate their right to freely worship, their rights were not violated. He was President at the time and did not act to strike down Conneticut's state mandated religion. The same principle applies here.

[allmendream]

“I also said that a local community (i.e. not the federal government which you don't seem to understand or just ignore because it does not fit your world view) should be allowed to make it's own decision on whether it wants to have a manger scene or Christmas tree displayed at it's local municipal building. It's called federalism.”

Your argument seems to make a distinction that doesn't exist between actions of the federal government and the state government that would tend to restrict our God given rights.

If it is an Unconstitutional respecting of the establishment of religion for the Federal government to recognize particular religions and not others, it is equally Unconstitutional for the State governments to do the same.

You can (and seem to be) arguing that putting up a manger is not respecting the establishment of religion. I agree, but respectfully submit that it is not a legitimate function of government under its limited and enumerated powers (and thus should not be done).

But to argue that the State is not equally obligated to recognize those rights as the Federal government is in error.