The separation of Church and State is a very simple issue.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

The Unites States Congress can't pass a law with respect to a religious organization (such as the Catholic Church, or the Episcopal Church, or your lcoal church). That's the ONLY restriction on religion in gov't.

Notice it says nothing about a manger scene in a county square. That's the overactive imagination of anti-religion zealots.

As long as I'm plugging books, there's a couple non-fiction by Brian Greene - "Fabric of the Cosmos" and "The Elegant Universe" that are excellent for laypeople. I've read both of them several times, and each time through I'm amazed and fascinated anew.

"Elegant Universe" has by far the best examples of the double-slit experiment and relativity I've ever read.

Just think of all the fun we could have if we could declare secularism a religion.

The author is a retired Episcopalian priest. Maybe not the most un-biased opinion out there? There is a huge problem with what he is asking to be done.....it can't be done. Keep in mind, this guy is a self-admited ACLU supporter, at one point. What kind of 'religious' teaching do you think he would support? Hell-fire and brimstone Biblical literalism or liberal Christian figurative interpretations? You can't 'teach' either (or even both) without offending someone. Think about it.

I do have to say, however, that the ACLU has come up with some really stupid things to litigate, like taking the cross out of the LA county seal. That was retarded. However, it should be noted that when over-zealous teachers or administrators try to restrict students' religious expression, the ACLU does sometimes come in to help. It's just that the ACLU is so inconsistent in what they do, that causes the administrators to be so paranoid in the first place.

The bottom line is this: I don't pay taxes to have students get religious indocrination. That's what churches are for, and these churches generate huge sums of tax-free money.

And, Ace, as a side note -- that's where you've screwed up. The mad-crazy money ain't in Bloggin' but in Preachifyin'.
And there's some *ahem* special side-benefits if you do that crazy-death-cult Preachifyin' at that (though castration would be a bad choice if you want to opt for the benefitial aspects of the side-benefits).

Remember, it was Thomas Jefferson who stated that there should be a separation of church and STATE.

I'm not sure what you're getting at Magnum S but let me assure you that Thomas Jefferson understood the role religion played in society and was the sponsor of legislation to pay chaplains, authorize days of prayer and thanksgiving etc. His famous letter with the phrase separation of church and state was reinforcing the idea put forth in the constitution; that government was not allowed to establish a religion. Never, ever, did any founding father intend a country where the ten commandments could not be hung on the schoolhouse wall. That concept is the stuff of moral relativists.

Iblis,
Some judge in NC did declare 'Secular Humanism' to be a religion. (Late 80's? Early 90's?).

Well shit. Let the fun begin!

TallDave forgot the "free exercise" clause: " ... or prohibiting the free exercise thereof".

And this is the part that all the militant secularist types forget about. The "free exercise" clause has been regularly trampled by the courts, according to some.

That's a great point that's too overlooked Jeff.

Remove God from public life and money, sex and power become God. Without a power greater than ourselves to whom we are accontable, anything becomes permissable to WIN those things, just as long as we can "legally" get away with it. Then instead of right and wrong, "the Law" and lawyers becomes the final arbiter of everything we do! Ensuring a quick degeneration to the Rule of Fang and Claw. These Liberal wolves-in-sheep's-clothing like this guy merely want to "educate" so they can pick apart the Bible and Christianity with scholarly sounding bullshit and ignorant arrogance. For as Ecclesiastes 10:3 says: "When the fool walks throught the street, in his lack of understanding he calls everything foolish." Liberalism is breathtaking in its foolishness.