[rwfromkansas]

Well said.

But, I disagree that there is a total separation.

Jefferson went to church in Congress 2 days after mentioning the wall between church and state. He also signed at least one bill as President giving federal funds to missionaries, including some intended for the raising of a church.

Now, Madison appears to be much stronger in his separationist views. I don't find such promotion of religion like Jefferson in Madison's actions. However, even he introduced and pushed for (along with Jefferson) a bill to punish Sabbath breakers while a Virginia legislator. In the official debate on the First Amendment, he describes a very narow intent for the First Amendment and what "establishment" means, not the broad way it is currently viewed. However, I do note that his personal view of establishment is much broader in the Detached Memoranda. Madison calls chaplains an establishment of religion there.

However, the official debates in the Congressional records are what take precedence and Madison said the amendment had a limited purpose.

Ultimately, while I think Moore goes too far in saying basically that non-Christians are lesser citizens, he is correct that the current separation between church and state is too far. After all, this view didn't get started in the courts until the early 1900's (bigtime with FDR).

[jwalsh07]

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments."


– James Madison