That guy is an ass but since he reminds me of me, I can't dislike him very much!It was very nuanced. The power, control over the state, and abuses by the Church of England and other Protestant religions being left out and not receiving federal government tax and other support. Very similar.They are one in the same, right? To not establish a national religion and to prevent the federal government from interfering with state established religions. Am I missing something else?That's not entirely true. The establishment clause was written to prevent the federal government from establishing a national religion. The states were free to do so and roughly half of the states had one at the time of ratification. The establishment clause was written to prevent the federal government from interfering with the state established religions. Look it up. Don't make me make you look foolish.Neither.IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —
The Declaration of Independence: Full text
U.S. Constitution - Table of Contents - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
U.S. Constitution - Article 5 , Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Were we created or did The Founding Fathers intend that we should be an irreligious people?
It was the intent of the Framers that government be religiously neutral, where the people are at liberty to practice whatever faith they so desire – or to be free from faith altogether – absent unwarranted interference from the state.
“The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.”
Everson v. Board of Education (1947)
Keep in mind that there were two purposes of the establishment clause: what you stated and the the same purpose at the no religious test clause. This was to protect all Protestant relgions by not elevating one over the other.