It may be also worth noting that the "Separation of Church and State" people often quote is from a poem that a politician was reciting. To my knowledge that concept has never been codified in law.
People love to bring up “it’s actually not in the constitution” as if explicitly saying that in anyway detracts from the fact that a foundational principle of the nation /separated/ church from state.
There are also unwritten concepts that are effectively enforced such as prison review boards giving credence to someone that has become a Born Again Christian when considering parole. That is not written anywhere to my knowledge.
But you are right, they can not force someone to be Christian.
I never said I wanted to listen to your opinions about the modern state of religion in America. I told you a fact, that church and state are separated by law in this nation and it’s encoded into the bill of rights. That you dislike American culture having evolved from a Christian one is your own axe to grind clearly.
1. A fundamentalist Protestant Christian ethos, derived from the Puritans;
2. A cosmopolitan and secular ethos, derived from British and Western European mercantilism;
3. Literally everything else, including the last 240 years of immigration and infusion by every non-Christian group under the sun.
Whenever people say that America is "Christian," I wonder if they mean it in that syncretic sense, or in an attempt to erase or obscure it.
* One nation, under Allah, indivisible… (Islam)
* Marriage is a legal institution between one man any many women (Mormon)
* “The office is closed for Yom Kippur next Monday.” (Judaism)
* The right to bodily autonomy begin at birth so there is no moral issue with abortion (Satanic Temple)
Of course the people are descendants of protestants and so our customs would naturally reflect that but so does our government. As a country we were so concerned about escaping state sponsored religion that we didn’t stop to think at all about how codifying norms into law that come from a particular religion end up creating a religious rule in all but name. Like we don’t even pretend to have religious freedom in any meaningful sense — your right to practice the traditions of your faith or have your institutions respected ends where what is acceptable and normal as defined by Christians ends.
Plural marriage isn't widely practiced or supported for pragmatic reasons.
Holidays are religious artifacts, yet not all of them, and there is no forced participation anymore. (Except in so far as government services are unavailable.)
Abortion rights have and are evolving. As the old, more religious folks die off it should swing the other way soon.
You watch too much TV. Most courts do not have you swear "on" anything, you simple raise your hand "Swear or affirm under the pains and penalties of perjury you will tell the truth" some do not even add the "under the pains and penalties of perjury"
if there are any courts in the US still using a Bible they are in the EXTREME minority.
>There are also many government buildings that fund the creation and installation of religious statues and bible verses on plaques in their halls
Pretty sure that is also not true... Governments have allowed the installation of such things but they are often funded by private groups. I would love a citation where the GOVERNMENT paid for out of tax payer money a religious installations is say they last 20 years.. (paid for, not approved)
>>effectively enforced such as prison review boards giving credence to someone that has become a Born Again Christian when considering parole.
Citation...
Parole Boards often require the offender to Admit guilt and ask for forgiveness, this has being interpreted by extreme anti-religious groups as them "requiring people to become born again Christians"
"but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
It was not a Poem.