[traditionalist]

You should also point out that the phrase "separation of Church and State" appears nowhere in the Constitution. That phrase is Jefferson's invention, and he had no role in the framing of the constitution.

All the constitution says is that "CONGRESS shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion."

[FreeTally]

All the constitution says is that "CONGRESS shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion."

WOH! You forgot the second part which is every much as important - "nor deny the free excercise thereof".

What I find almost humerous, is that this issue is one where they almost never refer to the text of the Constitution. Heck, even gun-grabbers refer to the 2nd, but the anti-religion crowd rarely ever mentions the wording of the 1st Amendment. Of course they do not, because it is plain and simple, and even the average dolt can understand what it says.

[BikerNYC]

All the constitution says is that "CONGRESS shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion."

Very true. It also says, "Congress shall make NO law... abridging the freedom of speech..." "No" as in none, zilch, nada, nothing. What part of "No law" don't they understand?

[SteamshipTime]

Correct. The First Amendment was only meant to apply to the federal Congress. "Establish" meant designating a certain Christian demonination as the "official" religion, as several states did in those days.

The Fourteenth Amendment did more harm than good and was the first step from republicanism toward socialist democracy.

Having said all that, I've never been too enamored of the Pledge of Allegiance and would probably decline to say it myself. In the USMCR, and later as a member of the Bar, I pledged an oath to protect and defend the federal and Georgia Constitutions.