[GulliverSwift]

The interpretation embraced by the secularists originated in anti-Catholic sentiment started back in the mid 19th century, at the rise of the public school movement. Public schools were invented because most churches have no centralized financial system and thus could not afford to build schools for their children.

Many people didn't like the idea that so many non-Catholics had to attend Catholic schools, so they cooked up this argument that the government should not be giving money to schools that teach religion. Even though this line of argument was originally started by bigoted Protestants, it's since been adopted wholesale (and extended much more offensively) by the militant atheists. Sadly, many liberal Christians and Jews buy it as well.

[GulliverSwift]

Many liberal Catholics embrace the stamping out of religion, not knowing the great irony of their actions.

[reasonseeker]

"Many people didn't like the idea that so many non-Catholics had to attend Catholic schools, so they cooked up this argument that the government should not be giving money to schools that teach religion."

If you believe strongly in your religion, why wouldn't the power of persuasion and example be enough to convince people to adopt the beliefs you hold? Why do so many religionists seem to distrust their own religion so, that they insist on changing the secular national motto and the secular Pledge of Allegiance into religious ones? Why should the government help fund the teaching of religion? Where are the parents to do it? Get the government out of the education business altogether.