Blake McMillin

Keep religion out of law

Some argue the US is a Christian nation, but separating Church and State is essential.

Religion should not influence politics, as original colonists fled religious persecution and morals

from one faith may not suit everyone. This article will explore why the founding fathers made

this decision and how recent years have blurred the line.

From the very beginning, as the revolution settled and our first government wrote the

constitution it was stated within the first amendment that all civilians had the freedom of

religion. Many original colonists, such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland came from

England to escape religious persecution from the King. Men, women, and their families sailed to

the “New World” from the conviction, held by Protestants and Catholics alike, as they believed

there was only one true religion and one way to practice. (Library of Congress, 2019) This

conviction rested on the belief that there was one true religion and that it was the duty of the civil

authorities to impose it, forcibly if necessary, and if one did not comply they would be labeled a

heretic and may even get executed for it. Having experienced such tragedies and understanding

that one’s relationship with their God is unique the Fathers made it a point that Americans have

the freedom to believe, and practice or not.

Throughout history we have seen how the religious views and morals of one government,

or man, have destroyed nations. The most prevalent have been through authoritarian

governments and dictators. Government leaders frequently create laws to reinforce their power,

not made for the nation as a whole. For instance, Hitler's laws in 1930s Germany are infamous

for their oppressive nature. During his first six years in power, every government branch enacted

and enforced hundreds of anti semitic laws, decrees, and regulations that slowly and steadily

stripped the rights from Jewish civilians. The Nazi Party in 1920 published their 25 point

program that depicted their plan to segregate Jewish people from “Aryan” society creating a
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Keep religion out of law

sense of an “Us vs Them” mentality (USHHM, 2022). In many ways the work of these types of

governments limit freedoms and often leave scars across history. Creating such a divide in not

only the civilians with each other, but between the civilians and the government.

Thinking deeper on the argument of America always being a Christian Nation, the word

“always” stands out the most. Thomas Jefferson, a main writer in the Declaration of

Independence, the Constitution, and America’s third president was a major advocate for the

separation of Church and State. When drafting the first amendment he wrote “Believing with you

that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none

other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, &

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 & State” (Jefferson, 1791). The "wall" metaphor is effective, providing a clear image of

stability. The judiciary has adopted it as both a theme for church-state analysis and a rule of

constitutional law. It does however, bring up the questions from the other side, why does

American money say “In God We Trust” and why does the pledge of Allegiance state “under

God”? Our currency was altered, as the “National Motto” was added during the civil war as

religious views were raised in that time. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the

first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. It was written to Secretary Chase by

Rev. M.R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania (Congress.gov,

2024). The pledge was also amended by President Eisenhower in 1954. The Pledge itself was not

standardized until WWII, and did not contain “Under God” until the Cold War. It was originally

written in 1892, and had no ties to religion as it was originally a marketing ploy. During the
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Keep religion out of law

second “Red scare” during the Cold War it was heavily pushed to the executive branch to add

“Under God” to the Pledge (Little, 2022).

The sheer number of religions within the United States makes it extremely perplexing to

use as a guide for lawmaking. According to a 2023 census 41% of Americans identify as a form

of white Christians, dropping from 57% in 2006. The census also included, people of color and

hispanics that are some form of Christian faith, Jevhovas Witness, Mormon, non-christian

affiliated faiths, and nonreligious. Noting that even the various Christian faiths have different

rules to follow. The census noted a raise in unaffiliated Americans from from 16% in 2006 to

27% in 2023 (PRRI, 2024). With more and more Americans identifying away from Christianity

and taking in the nonreligious population, where is the freedom of religion when it is used to

make the laws we must follow outside of the church?

In the final analysis, protecting freedom means it is safeguarded for everyone. The

founding fathers emphasized the importance of religious freedom, clearly separating church from

politics. History shows how easily men in power can misuse religion. Despite the prevalence of

Christianity, America has no official federal religion. With diverse beliefs and morals across

states, imposing religious rules in government would infringe on citizens' rights. Lawmakers

must consciously keep church and state separate.

Sources…

Library of Congress. “America as a Religious Refuge: The Seventeenth Century, Part 1 -

Religion and the Founding of the American Republic | Exhibitions (Library of Congress).”

Loc.gov, Library of Congress, 2019, www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Antisemitic Legislation 1933–1939.” Holocaust

Encyclopedia, 2022, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/antisemitic-legislation-1933-

1939.

“H. Rept. 112-47 - REAFFIRMING ``in GOD WE TRUST’’ as the OFFICIAL MOTTO of the

UNITED STATES and SUPPORTING and ENCOURAGING the PUBLIC DISPLAY of the

NATIONAL MOTTO in ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, and OTHER

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.” Congress.gov, 2024, www.congress.gov/congressional-

report/112th-congress/house-report/47/1.

Little, Becky. “Why Eisenhower Added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance during the

Cold War | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 22 June 2022, www.history.com/articles/pledge-allegiance-

under-god-schools.

PRRI Staff. “2023 PRRI Census of American Religion: County-Level Data on Religious Identity

and Diversity | PRRI.” PRRI | at the Intersection of Religion, Values, and Public Life., 29 Aug.

2024, www.prri.org/research/census-2023-american-religion/.