The Separation of Church from State?

I was asked to discuss a political issue from the perspective of political science. And while this is not meant to discuss the educational system of America, I will use the system of education to discuss a serious paradox that affects every citizen in some way, the separation of Church and State. Ever since the founding of this country Americans have been involved in what may be the most widespread, nation wide debate. This is the separation of Church and State. Now, before continuing there must be some definitions which must be elaborated on. Dictionary.com defines religion as: re•li•gion –noun 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe. This is what I will be referring to when I say the term religion. When I refer to Religion I will be referring to the serving and worshiping of God, a god or any number of gods, or any mystic or supernatural being. Many people bring up the argument that prayer in public schools should not be allowed. That the ideology or the body of doctrine, myth, or belief that guides an individual, that is presented in the Bible should not be taught. That Religion should not be taught in any way. However, keep in mind that the Bible used to be a textbook in schools, also that, up until not too long ago prayer would be what begins a day at school. Christianity was taught as a subject, until the teachings of Darwin came along and suddenly evolution is the new curriculum, taught as fact when it is, in fact, still theory.

Now I do not wish for this to seem like a document exemplifying a type of xenophobia, or a fear of anything foreign or new but now teaching creation has become strictly about Religion and considered a violation of our constitutional rights. It is easy, at times to overlook the context when considering the founding documents such as the Bill of Rights or the Constitution. It is always made clear that one of the main points of these documents is the separation of Church and State. But if praying is schools is now outlawed, we cease to have freedom of Religion now we no longer have a separation of Church and State, but rather a separation of Church from State, which in and of itself is an unconstitutional use of authority, which is a popular and acceptable use of power. When our founding fathers wrote the founding documents, one of the primary reasons was to escape religious persecution after the English government sanctioned Catholicism. It was necessary to protect both Religion and religion from the government, not the other way around.

Although it would be difficult to find anyone who admits it, America’s new nationally sanctioned religion has become Atheism, which encompasses both definitions of religion that were previously stated. Atheism states that there is no God or gods, that both Religion or religion have no place in the world and that the universe solely exists scientifically. Evolution states that there is no God or gods, and that Religion or religion have no place in the world because the universe only exists scientifically. Teaching evolution, thus in turn promotes Atheism. This is unconstitutional. The First Amendment to the Constitution states that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. So if schools must now teach Evolution as curriculum, as if it were fact, this in turn promotes it. And if certain Religious acts like public prayer or the teaching of Religion is outlawed, this in turn prohibits the free exercise thereof. Is this constitutional? No. No matter whether religious citizens or not, all tax payer’s dollars, from all states go into paying the salaries of public School teachers. For all the texts, supplies, and man-power that aid the promotion of this godless or Godless curriculum. I am in no way saying that Evolution should not be taught in schools. Just the opposite, in fact. Evolution should be taught in equal measure along side any number of major Religions. Nor should prayer be mandatory at the beginning of a school day, however students who pray publicly