Separation of State from Church

[Ernie S.]

But, it seems to me that the just of the thread is not that the laws have been put in place, but rather that the left has made a concerted effort to force prayer and the bible out of public life in general. They have not succeeded... yet. The operative word there being yet.

Immie

I couldn't disagree more. First of all, I don't see separation as a left/right thing... at all. And I'd wager a lifetime of paychecks that the Founding Fathers didn't either. Second, the 'concerted' effort you apparently lament is not about forcing prayer, or the bible, out of public life. It's about steadfast resistance against those that seek to force it into public life. Perhaps the distinction is too subtle for some to see, but it makes all the difference. I'll never understand why anyone who professes devout faith would demand the right to leverage government institutions to brandish their faith as a weapon of conformity.

it's because they see *their* faith as controlling what everyone else does. If the faith were Islam, they'd be shrieking about "creeping sharia law" and marching against the building of mosques, much less allowing it into schools and government.

You seem to be confused. It has nothing to do with controlling what anyone else does. The Alabama law discussed makes that abundantly clear. What I'm bitching about is your side seeking to control me in violation of the first phrase of the first amendment.
I am not looking for you to worship as I do or even to profess the general Christian faith. I am not asking you to worship at all. You are completely free to observe any teachings, or none at all.
All I ask in return is the same consideration.

 

[manifold]

...I don't want people on the left telling my children's teachers that they can't bring a bible to school, keep it in their desk and read it during their free time or wear a cross around their neck for that matter either. I don't want people on the left telling my son that he can't pray with his teammates before a high school football game either. ...

I don't want any people, left or right, doing that either. And the next time I see any of that actually happening will be the first.