Church and State

Some will say that the "Founding Fathers" never intended for church and state to be completely separate.

They will say that religion based on the Bible was indispensable to the moral foundation of the nation they were creating.

That may be true concerning a moral people being essential to a free society but no one should assume that the constitution was biblical nor that everyone who profess Christian morals actually have them.

Separation of Church and state

Thomas Jefferson’s letter concerning the "separation of church and state" was actually to the Danbury Baptist "association".

Almost all social welfare in the Americas was provided through charity by the actions of such associations.

We should ask and examine what the definition of religion was when Jefferson wrote the letter.

Religion was defined at that time as “Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men”.

Religion was simply how a nation, the people or a society, takes care of its needy and therefore how they serve the God or gods they have chosen for themselves.

If you ask Google what religion is it will not tell you it is a duty but it is no more than "what you think about a supreme being".

Now that we know the definition Jefferson knew we can reread the text of his letter with a better understanding.

"To messers Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut."

Gentlemen

"The affectionate sentiments of esteem & approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction, my duties dictate a faithful & 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 & more pleasing."

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplatep 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 eternal separation between Church & State. Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from prescribing even those occasional performances of devotion, practiced indeed by the Executive of another nation as the legal head of its church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect,

[He first wrote: "confining myself therefore to the duties of my station, which are merely temporal, be assured that your religious rights shall never be infringed by any act of mine and that." But then crossed out those lines and then wrote: "concurring with"; but having crossed out these two words, he wrote: "Adhering to this great act of national legislation in behalf of the rights of conscience"; next he crossed out these words and wrote: "Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience I shall see with friendly dispositions the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced that he has no natural rights in opposition to his social duties."]

"I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & the Danbury Baptist [your religious] association assurances of my high respect & esteem."

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802. No

/Blockquote>

Many the definition of religion 200 years ago,

He mentions his duties several times and also the right of individuals to perform "social duties" only as "rights of conscience" which are to be performed "with friendly dispositions".

John the Baptist spoke of those duties telling us to repent and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

At that time many sought the disposition of a social utopia though force as opposed to the "friendly disposition" which John direct us to do through sharing "coat" and "meats"<Ref>Luke 3:11 "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." </Red> in charity.

Jefferson promotes the "progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights".

This welfare through charity by Americans is what made the nation great according to Alexis de Tocqueville and "legal charity" has become pervasive in the U S and the "world" since FDR's New Deal and the steady progressive move toward the "welfare state".

The Bible tells you that "pure Religion" is taking care of the needy of the Christian society like widows and orphans without the covetous practices of the men in government who call themselves benefactors but exercise force through that same legal charity of the welfare state.