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To: H.Akston
You are correct that the First Amendment limited the powers of the federal government solely, and that several states maintained a religious establishment (This all changed with the 14th Amendment, whereby the Bill of Rights was applied to the states as well as the federal government).

However, just because they had the legal power to do it, it does not mean that they should do it. My reading of Locke(who supported toleration, rather than religious liberty), Jefferson(who was not always consistent), Paine(a consistent apostle of freedom of conscience), Mill(preacher of the errors of infalibility), and others have convinced me that any maintained establishment of religion or religious tests for office, not only violates the individual's liberties, but undermines the general happiness as well.

83 posted on 12/08/2001 11:59:04 AM PST by ThJ1800
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To: ThJ1800
The 14th Amendment wasn't even properly ratified.
85 posted on 12/08/2001 2:46:37 PM PST by FF578
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