To protect our religious freedom one needs to understand our Constitution and bill of rights better then we do. That is what I hope I can do here on this page. If we do not protect this right we will not be able to be a light upon the world, leading them to Christ as the one and only way to salvation. We would had failed God in His command to spread the gospel to the world. If we continue to sleep we will not need to worry about the world, we will need to worry about telling a family member or neighbor about Christ.

No where in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States does "Separation of Church and State" ever mentioned.

1st Amendment to Constitution of the United States: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Now note what was stated at Beginning of Amendment, CONGRESS shall make no law respecting an ESTABLISHMENT of religion. It did not say the Local Government or the State government will prohibit religious expression on the public square. Nor did it prohibit religious expression on Federal property, BUT said that Congress could not establish one religion over an other as the One Federal Religion as was done in England.

At the time of passage of the constitution and the Bill of Rights several states had state sponsored religions where taxes where collected from all the people of the state to support them. Virginia and Pennsylvania being 2 of them. So if this amendment was to prohibit the State or local government from supporting one religious group over another they would had immediately ceased. But the Congress had no power over the state on this subject. But as each state created their bill of rights they done away with state sponsored religion BUT not religious express but that tax dollars would not support one religion over the other religions.

Many attribute this concept of Separation of State and Church to Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately they misconstrued his statement to mean something it was not intended to mean.

On January 1, 1802, in response to the letter from the Danbury Baptist Association, Thomas Jefferson wrote:

Gentlemen:

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which are so good 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, and 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 and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of the government reach actions only, and 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 and 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 man to all of his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessings of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.

Thomas Jefferson

The congregation heard a widespread rumor that the Congregationalists, another denomination, were to become the national religion.  This was very alarming to people who knew about religious persecution in England by the state established church.  Jefferson made it clear in his letter to the Danbury Congregation that the separation was to be that government would not establish a national religion or dictate to men how to worship God.  Jefferson's letter from which the phrase "separation of church and state" was taken affirmed first amendment rights.  

What some of our founding fathers thought about God:

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." George Washington.

"... True religion affords to government its surest support." George Washington.

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion ... Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams.

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions ... upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." James Madison.

"Religion is the only solid basis of good morals: therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man toward God." Gouverneur Morris.

"Moral habits ... cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits ... Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens." Daniel Webster.

"... The cultivation of the religious sentiment represses licentiousness ... inspires respect for law and order, and gives strength to the whole social fabric." Daniel Webster.

"Republican government loses half its value where the moral and social duties are ... negligently practiced. To exterminate our popular vices is work of far more importance to the character and happiness of our citizens than any other improvements in our system of education." Noah Webster.

"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt." Samuel Adams.

Other Persons beliefs on this subject:

"It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom." Horace Greely.

"... But for [the Bible] we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare ... are to be found portrayed in it." Abraham Lincoln.

"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country." President Calvin Coolidge.

"The basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a ... government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!" President Harry S Truman.

In the 1950's we stood by and watch the courts take prayer out of school without so much as a peep from the church.

Then it was the Ten Commandments taken from the schools without an out cry from the church. 

Now its the Ten Commandment monument taken out of a court House in Alabama. Or that of a Senior Center in Texas that no longer is allowed any type of Prayer in its building, such as someone saying grace during a meal time. The city decided tax payers money is used so RELIGION is Prohibited. This I just heard about tonight. There are many, many examples of religious persecution in our country. But I bet if you wanted to use 4 letter words and tell dirty jokes no one would object to this being done on tax payers property.

Why do you think so many religious rights are being eroded from society, why the ten Commandment no long proper to display.

Please re-read the following:

"It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom." Horace Greely.

"... But for [the Bible] we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare ... are to be found portrayed in it." Abraham Lincoln.

These people want to silence the church so they do not have a guilty conscience when doing wrong; doing drugs; having or tolerating abortion, feasting on perversion and living a homosexual life style. If the church, God's light and God's words are removed from the public square no one can point out what they do as being wrong, unhealthy and immoral. There is no longer right or wrong. It's the same old philosophy of the 60's "if it feels good, do it!"

For those of you who like to speed on the highways, wouldn't it be better for you if the speed limits where not posted, your conscience would not bother you as much. There would be no sign post telling you that you are breaking the law on the highway. The same is true if God's word, his commandments are removed from the public domain. There would be no sign post telling the people that they are breaking God's rules and commands for our lives. Rules which are not put in place to make life boring but are to keep us health, safe and happy. Such as: no fornication, would eliminate out of wedlock babies and many abortions, and would save many marriages and the children would grow in two parent homes. The same with abuse of alcohol, drugs and the likes, people would be healthy and productive and crime would be drastically lower. There are many other examples.

Remove the sign post for No stealing, No lying, No cheating, No killing and we have a generation that does not know any right from wrong and society dissolves and this world becomes a unsafe place to live in.

What is it that is to be feared in God's Holy word the Bible that these people are so afraid of?  Not to steal, Not to kill, Not to cheat, Not to commit adultery, Not to get involved in Homosexual activities, Not to lie? It is that the Bible would show these people what they really are, sinners, immoral people. It allows them to make right the wrong and the wrong the right. It allows them to label God's people as religious jealous, the radical Christian Right as dirty names.

We need to cherish of rights, our freedom especially our religious freedom. Society can not survive without God's light in the world.

There are large groups of people in the United States that believe or hope others would believe that the 1st amendment guarantees freedom FROM religion and NOT freedom of religion.

How do we protect our freedoms? 

First place is to find out what our politicians stand for at election time and vote the right ones into office and the wrong ones out of office. We need to pray for our leaders to stay on the straight and narrow road way. A road with morals, a road lit by God's light. And if they stray that they would leave office to make way for a moral person to replace them.

I am not talking about only Federal elections but all elections; Township, City, County, State, Federal and especially school boards. The local and school politicians can cause us more harm then a Federal politician. Oh, you may fight the local government or school board over religious rights in court and win but it cost you money to win this but it also cost in other ways, the local government used your money to fight you. 

So know where you government stands and  what is being taught in our schools. Take all action necessary to preserve our nation and our freedoms. If necessary help support groups who fight for these rights in our courts.

An example of a local government taking the freedom from its people. (Not a religious example but what is to come do to people turning from God's word.) Last night I ended up on a channel on TV showing 60 minutes (normally I do not watch the program) and the story was about a town in Ohio. The city was condemning about 150 old but very nice homes so they could sell this land to a developer to rebuild with higher price homes to increase the tax base of the town. Nothing was wrong with the neighborhood except they had the best view of the town, they over looked a very large park and the council decided it was better for others to live with that view paying higher taxes. This is not over religious freedom but the rights of the owners where being taken away by a greedy city council. That is why you should know what the people you place in office really are about and stand on issues. A good Christian could not in all good conscience do that to other people. This city described the 150 homes as being blighted. They did not measure up to city standards, 2 bathrooms, 3 bedroom and 2 car attached garage. Well, only 20 homes in this community had attached garage and none of the mayor or city council men/women homes met these standards either. In my opinion this is leadership by people who do not know right from wrong and are only after what they desire at any cost and your rights do not matter.

Please re-read this:

"The basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a ... government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!" President Harry S Truman.

So one should be very careful when electing people to public office. You never know what rights these individuals will take from you. This time its some one else, so what? But next time it could be yours property, your rights and you will stand alone if you do not get involved in protecting all rights of everyone.

A homosexual being brutally beaten or killed should bring outrage from all of us and we should demand justice but it does not mean we are to endorse that life style or condone it or help legitimize it or advocate same sex marriages. God loved all people and so we should also.

Protect your rights! Get involved, vote wisely, care about our freedoms and spend time in prayer over these issues!