scary little changes

In June 1961 in a case called Torcaso v. Watkins, the U.S. Supreme Court stated, "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism and others." The Supreme Court declared Secular Humanism to be a religion.

The Court's statement in Torcaso does not stand for the
proposition that humanism, no matter in what form and no
matter how practiced, amounts to a religion under the First
Amendment. The Court offered no test for determining what
system of beliefs qualified as a "religion" under the First
Amendment. The most one may read into the Torcaso
footnote is the idea that a particular non-theistic group calling
itself the "Fellowship of Humanity" qualified as a religious
organization under California law. See Grove v. Mead Sch.
Dist. No. 354, 753 F.2d 1528, 1537 (9th Cir. 1985) (Canby, J.,
concurring) (quoting Malnak, 592 F.2d at 206, 212). See also
Alvarado v. City of San Jose, 94 F.3d 1223, 1228 & n.2 (9th
Cir. 1996) (citing cases supporting the limited scope of the
Torcaso footnote); Peloza v. Capistrano Unified Sch. Dist.,
37 F.3d 517, 521 (9th Cir. 1994) ("[N]either the Supreme
Court, nor this circuit, has ever held that evolutionism or
secular humanism are 'religions' for Establishment Clause
purposes.").

Mesquite,

Just because I disagree with you or you disagree with me does not mean it is lies. Since neither of us were actually there and talked to the founding fathers, I dare say we will never know exactly what they meant.

"Christian nation" propagandist David Barton has issued a statement conceding that the following twelve quotations attributed to prominent historical figures are either false or at best questionable. WallBuilders' observations about the quotes are in parenthesis.

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!
-- Patrick Henry (questionable)

It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.
-- George Washington (questionable)

Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. In this sense and to this extent, our civilizations and our institutions are emphatically Christian.
-- Holy Trinity v. U.S. [Supreme Court] (false)

We have staked the whole future of American civilization, nor upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves ... according to the Ten Commandments of God.
-- James Madison (false)

Whosoever shall introduce into the public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.
-- Benjamin Franklin (questionable)

The principles of all genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man therefore who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be assessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer.
-- Noah Webster (questionable)

There are two powers only which are sufficient to control men, and secure the rights of individuals and a peaceable administration; these are the combined force of religion and law, and the force or fear of the bayonet.
-- Noah Webster (questionable)

The only assurance of our nation's safety is to lay our foundation in morality and religion.
-- Abe Lincoln (questionable)

The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.
-- Abe Lincoln (questionable)

A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or eternal invader.
-- Samuel Adams (questionable)
[this can be found in Harry Alonzo Cushing, ed., The Writings of Samuel Adams (1908), Vol. 4, p. 124 -- Cliff Walker, May 1, 2002]

I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make us better citizens.
-- Thomas Jefferson (questionable)

America is great because she is good. and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.
-- Alexis de Toqueville, Democracy in America (definitely not in the book; perhaps in other more obscure writings; questionable)

Here is another link; though I doubt you'd accept much of it either.
http://www.christianindex.org/583.article

I think it's pretty safe to say that anyone can pull up anything off the internet to bolster their assertions.

In 1816, Boudinot pushed others to join him and form the American Bible Society. He served as its first president and gave it $10,000--in a day when an annual salary of $400 was considered good money.

I merely asked a question. What if it was that way? I didn't ask you to believe it. I just wanted to know if that was the way they intended it, what would you then have to say.

Just suppose that what is in this link is the way it was intended to be?

http://www.noapathy.org/tracts/mythofseparation.html

What if that was what was truly intended?

Momma Angel wrote:

You will see someday when it will be illegal to worship Him. It will happen.

Momma that is the very reason why church and state should be separate - if they are separate government cannot make it illegal to worship as you chose.
When gov't is involved you end up with groups like the Taliban or the Soviet Communist party telling to you how to worship, or if you even can worship. Freedom of religion equals freedom from government interference- which equals keeping religion out of government.