You didn't include some important parts of the letter. From Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists

Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists

The Final Letter, as Sent

To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.

Gentlemen

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.

Somehow I don't see this as justification for removing ANY and ALL references to God from government funded schools. And as I stated earlier, the concept of the existence of God is not a religion, but a commonly held belief amongst mankind.

In any case, I'd hate to see the repurcussions if this ruling is allowed to stand. It would be a declaration that we are no longer a Nation under God. As such, I'd bet there would be some serious consequences associated with that.

"In any case, I'd hate to see the repurcussions if this ruling is allowed to stand. It would be a declaration that we are no longer a Nation under God. As such, I'd bet there would be some serious consequences associated with that."

No, if that was true, the Pledge would have to be changed to say, "One nation, not under God, ....". Removing the words isn't a declaration that the USA is not a nation under God, it's a declaration that government should be silent on the matter. Silence is neither a positive or negative declaration. It's silence.

Somehow I don't see this as justification for removing ANY and ALL references to God from government funded schools. And as I stated earlier, the concept of the existence of God is not a religion, but a commonly held belief amongst mankind.

Commonly perhaps. By no means whatsoever universally. The idea that we as a nation are subservient to God, that is absolutely a religious concept.

I don't see the part of the letter where Separation was qualified, modified, or hedged upon.

In any case, I'd hate to see the repurcussions if this ruling is allowed to stand. It would be a declaration that we are no longer a Nation under God. As such, I'd bet there would be some serious consequences associated with that.

Where in the Constitution is the nation's subservience to God declared? Indeed, there were several attempts through the years to add an acknowledgement of Jesus Christ to the Constitution, the latest sponsored by John Anderson. They were all defeated.

-Eric