Separation of Church and State
To confirm the understanding of the First Amendment provided that
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Thus, so far as the Federal
Constitution was concerned, states remained free to deal with the
subject of religion as they saw fit, subject of course to limits in
their own constitutions. Then with the addition of the Fourteenth
Amendment to include the same guarantees of religious liberty as those
contained in the First Amendment. Accordingly, the Constitution now
prohibits both Federal and state governments from interfering with the
church or religious liberty.
The "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment means
at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a
church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions,
or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a
person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force
him to profess a belief of disbelief in any religion. No person can be
punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs, for church
attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can
be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever
they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice
religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can openly or
secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or
groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against
establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a "wall of
separation between church and state."
Consequently, churches that voluntarily submit to Federal Tax
exemptions, ie 501c3 are already exempt and therefore enter into a
private contract with the Federal government which limits their freedoms
and liberties. Furthermore, churches are already exempt and do not need
this unnecessary bondage.
I can not express enough how our constitutions are only adequate for
a moral and religious people and as it is written in Article I, Section
7 of the Ohio Constitution;
"All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty
God according to the dictates of their own conscience. No person shall
be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or
maintain any form of worship, against his consent; and no preference
shall be given, by law, to any religious society; nor shall any
interference with the rights of conscience be permitted. No religious
test shall be required, as a qualification for office, nor shall any
person be incompetent to be a witness on account of his religious
belief; but nothing herein shall be construed to dispense with oaths and
affirmations. Religion, morality, and knowledge, however, being
essential to good government, it shall be the duty of the General
Assembly to pass suitable laws, to protect every religious denomination
in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship, and to
encourage schools and the means of instruction."
That being said, government has a duty to promote and enforce Godly
principles, which are in accord with our constitutions to guarantee our
Freedoms and Liberties.
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