Keep State & Church Separate
As the Treaty with Tripoli clearly states "the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." Our secular constitution defines a government, as Abraham Lincoln put it "of the people, by the people and for the people," without mentioning a god. The first amendment guarantees a separation of church and state. Reflecting a concept often credited in its original form to the English political philosopher John Locke, the phrase separation of church and state is generally traced to the letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists, in which he referred to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as creating a "wall of separation" between church and state. The phrase was quoted by the United States Supreme Court first in 1878, and then in a series of cases starting in 1947. This led to increased popular and political discussion of the concept.
When atheists receive public attention, it is most often for our efforts to have religious symbols removed from government property. Religious believers often view this as trivial meddling with tradition, but it is about protecting the Constitution and defending our American heritage. The nativity scene in the public library or the Ten Commandments in the courthouse are problematic not because we want to abolish religion but because these are government buildings which are not supposed to show preference to any one religion. Either all sets of beliefs are represented or none are.
Sometimes it is not certain whether a particular incident is a violation of the law and even when you feel that it is, you may not be sure of the appropriate starting point for addressing it. Check Atheist Eye for a well written, clear explanation on how to handle possible violations.
Protest clear-cut violations of the separation between church and state, such as teacher-led prayers or religious instruction in public schools. Contact the Freedom From Religion
Foundation office promptly with pertinent facts, names and addresses:
FFRF, Inc.
PO Box 750
Madison WI 53701
(608) 256-8900
fax (608)256-1116
algaylor@ffrf.org
Americans United for Separation of Church & State actively works to remedy violations of church-state separation. If you are aware of a government action that you believe violates the Constitution's requirement that church and state be kept separate, please let them know. You can find out more about the type of activity that concerns them and report any violations. Sign up with Americans United for Separation of Church & State to volunteer locally.
Americans United also gives this summary of possibly troublesome situations:- government aid is actually used for religious instruction or activity; or
- direct cash aid is given to a pervasively religious institution or program; or
- the aid recipient discriminates in employment based on religion with respect to publicly-funded positions; or
- the aid recipient coerces service recipients to submit to religious proselytization or take part in religious worship; or
- only religious organizations are eligible for funding under the aid program.
- prayer at school-sponsored events such as graduations, assemblies, and football games;
- prayer at the beginning of the school day;
- religious presentations by teachers or outside groups during the school day;
- distribution of the Bible or other religious literature in school;
- Bible-study courses;
- teaching of creationism in science classes.
- The government displays a religious text or symbol, such as the Ten Commandments, a cross, or a creche, on public property.
- "prayer breakfasts" endorsed by government officials and/or financed with government funds;
- formal proclamations by government officials exhorting citizens to pray;
- explicitly sectarian prayers at the openings of meetings of government bodies;
- government funding of religious hospitals that refuse to provide certain kinds of reproductive health care services for religious reasons;
- statutory exemptions that allow religious organizations to discriminate in employment based on criteria other than religion with respect to non-religious positions;
- tax exemptions for religious organizations that are not also applicable to secular non-profit organizations;
- government refusals to give persons religious exemptions from government regulations in cases where the government provides non-religious exemptions from the same regulations.