Your posts are really interesting Thomas...it is an insight into the social conservative movement in the US.
The US was founded as a country where you will be free from religious prosecution.It is based on Christian foundations but the founding fathers were very careful to explicitly draw the distinction between church and state.In such a scenario American support for Israel which is a self proclaimed religious state, a complete opposite of the American way and is actually more similar to Saudi Arabia is curious.
American guilt over WW2 passed over into unequivocal support for Israel.Israel is a big negative for America IMO and is the main reason for anti muslim feeling in the world against the US.We have gained nothing from the "unique" alliance with Israel other than loss of billions of dollars and enmity with a billion people.
I agree that there does need to be a separation of church and state. but regards to the government establishing a state religion.
do you know where the term "separation of church and state" came from?
The Danbury Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut sent a letter, dated October 7, 1801, to the newly elected President Thomas Jefferson, expressing concern over the lack in their state constitution of explicit protection of religious liberty, and against a government establishment of religion.
In their letter to the President, the Danbury Baptists affirmed that "Our Sentiments are uniformly on the side of Religious Liberty That Religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals That no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious Opinions - That the legitimate Power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbor..."
As a religious minority in Connecticut, the Danbury Baptists were concerned that a religious majority might "reproach their chief Magistrate... because he will not, dare not assume the prerogatives of Jehovah and make Laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ," thus establishing a state religion at the cost of the liberties of religious minorities.
Thomas Jefferson's response, dated January 1, 1802, concurs with the Danbury Baptists' views on religious liberty, and the accompanying separation of civil government from concerns of religious doctrine and practice. Jefferson writes: "...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 & State."
However the Government notion of not allowing kids in school or people in government to pray. is in terms of history a rather recent development. history tends to point that the founding fathers did not have this in mind since it was common practice and encouraged until just a few decades ago.