The establishment clause in context was about Congress (this didn’t apply to the states) establishing a “Church of the United States”, it had nothing to do with prayer during public gatherings – which historically you can see happened and still happens today”

What I love about the anti-church/state separation crowd is that they never address the fact that the reason the separation was put into place by the Founders was to protect religion from being corrupted by the pursuit of political power, rather than being so worried that politics might be corrupted by religion. And what the Founders worried about has come to pass.

What are the major Christian political groups primarily known for in this generation? Lets see, how about supporting a regime that has introduced torture as an American standard for treating prisoners. For withdrawing from the morally upright standards of humane treatment outlined in the Geneva conventions. For throwing people into secret prisons without warrant or trial indefinitely without hope of appeal.

Over the last 8 years I’ve watched the majority of Christians in my country make a choice about whether to follow Jesus or George Bush and the pursuit of political power. And unfortunately the big J has lost out in their hearts to crass earthly gain. And FRC continues to play its part in this corruption and moral decay of Christianity in the United States today.

There were no public school systems when the First Amendment was adopted. When public schools came along, and when the country grew to include persons of many faiths and persons of no faith, and when the 14th amendment expanded the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states, questions arose as to whether using public school-sponsored events as a platform for religious expression was an “establishment of religion.”

What I find offensive about Mr. Perkins’ post is the assumption that the father who raised this issue was a “puppet of the ACLU.” Is it so hard to believe that a parent might actually disagree with you? Moreover, in reading the op-ed to which the post was linked, Mr. Perkins complained about plaintiffs being awarded legal fees for “any small legal victory.” The small legal victories here are violations of individual rights by state and local governments. The ability to seek redress of such grievances should not be limited to only those who can afford to pay attorney’s fees.

The establishment clause in context was about Congress (this didn’t apply to the states) establishing a “Church of the United States”, it had nothing to do with prayer during public gatherings – which historically you can see happened and still happens today.

Our first freedom — that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” — is a guarantee against government sponsored religion.

You may disagree, but that is the supreme law of the land. And I and others have a right not to be molested by the prayers that you suggest be permitted.

Bob Ritter
Founder,
Jefferson Madison Center for Religious Liberty