JamesInFlorida
Senior Member
- Dec 18, 2010
- 1,501
- 186
- 48
While I think politicians shouldn't have to keep their religion to themselves, saying the bible should be taught in school is a completely separate issue.
I would argue that endorsing one religion's scriptures over another's is breaking the boundary between church and state-and is the government endorsing a specific religious scripture. If your law forces a child to attend school-then force that child to read scriptures of just one of the many religious belief systems-again that's endorsing that religion.
Now I have no problem with public schools having class on religions (that are optional), in the sense that you learn about many different religions (one of the best classes I took in high school).
I believe this is the quote you were referring to earlier, the bold parts back up my statements, and it's a prime source, as you wanted.
When he says SOLELY between man and his God-that's what he means. Not Solely, man and school.
PS-and for the record I think we all know Jefferson wasn't the most consistent of the founding fathers. For somebody so against big government-he had no problem increasing the size of the nation more than any other president to date.
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate 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 separation between church and State. "
-Thomas Jefferson
I would argue that endorsing one religion's scriptures over another's is breaking the boundary between church and state-and is the government endorsing a specific religious scripture. If your law forces a child to attend school-then force that child to read scriptures of just one of the many religious belief systems-again that's endorsing that religion.
Now I have no problem with public schools having class on religions (that are optional), in the sense that you learn about many different religions (one of the best classes I took in high school).
I believe this is the quote you were referring to earlier, the bold parts back up my statements, and it's a prime source, as you wanted.
When he says SOLELY between man and his God-that's what he means. Not Solely, man and school.
PS-and for the record I think we all know Jefferson wasn't the most consistent of the founding fathers. For somebody so against big government-he had no problem increasing the size of the nation more than any other president to date.
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate 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 separation between church and State. "
-Thomas Jefferson