The Constitutional separation of church and state

Atheist attorney Doug Indeap, with my commentary:

Doug:

You observe that the Constitution founds the government on the power of the people and says nothing about god(s), but fail to recognize that that is a reflection of the very separation of church and state you otherwise deny. As I said earlier (and you largely ignore in your post), separation of church and state is a bedrock principle of our Constitution much like the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances. In the Constitution, the founders did not simply say in so many words that there should be separation of powers and checks and balances; rather, they actually separated the powers of government among three branches and established checks and balances. Similarly, they did not merely say there should be separation of church and state; rather, they actually separated them by (1) establishing a secular government on the power of the people (not a deity), (2) saying nothing to connect that government to god(s) or religion, (3) saying nothing to give that government power over matters of god(s) or religion, and (4), indeed, saying nothing substantive about god(s) or religion at all except in a provision precluding any religious test for public office. Given the norms of the day, the founders' avoidance of any expression in the Constitution suggesting that the government is somehow based on any religious belief was quite a remarkable and plainly intentional choice. They later buttressed this separation of government and religion with the First Amendment, which constrains the government from undertaking to establish religion or prohibit individuals from freely exercising their religions. The basic principle, thus, rests on much more than just the First Amendment.

You misrepresent the Founders motives for the Establishment Clause and the near silence of the Constitution on religion at the federal level. The clear intent was to prevent the federal government from interfering in religious expression. The American people were (and are) deeply religious, and most of the states had de jure or de facto extablished churches, and the Founders were intent on ensuring that freedom of religious expression was protected. There was obviously no intent to prevent government officials from invoking God, or in any way suppressing religious speech, either for government officials or for private citizens.

Here is President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, issued in part to give God thanks for... the Constitution:

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to thethe service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our sasety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

A similar God-full Thanksgiving Proclamation was issued by Washington in his second term, two by President Adams, and two by President Madison. Jefferson declined, and Lincoln was the next, with similar proclamations thanking God issued by every president since.

Here are the eight Proclamations thanking God issued by the Contenential Congress from 1777 to 1784.

Doug's argument that the Framers intended to enjoin religious expression by government officials is piffle. In fact, the founders celebrated the Constitution and the founding of the nation with repeated government issued prayers and the passionate invocation of God's blessings.

The constitutional wall of separation between church and state is a rhetorical fiction employed by anti-Christian (and often anti-Catholic) bigots to expunge Christianity from the public square. It is a deep violation of the text and the spirit of the Constitution, which prohibits an Establishment of Religion explicitly to preserve the Free Exercise of religion.

Anti-Christian bigots have been using federal power-- a power specifically denied them in the Free Exercise clause-- to censor religious expression in schools, in courthouses and public buildings, and on public property. The goal is obviously not to protect religious expression but to extinguish it.

In place of genuine free religious expression, only secularism-- anodyne atheism-- will remain, the Establishment of which is the obvious goal of the anti-Christian/anti-Catholic bigots who assault religious exercise in every venue that will have them.