Susuto

Ooh, sounds like someone needs to turn off Michael Savage and pick up a book or two. You might learn that the Supreme Court has actually rendered a couple of opinions on this subject.

Let’s start with Everson v Board of Education (1947), shall we?

Justice Hugo Black, writing for the majority: “The ‘establishment of religion’ clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect ‘A WALL OF SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.’”

Or perhaps you’d like to review Engel v. Vitale (1962): “The petitioners contend, among other things, that the state laws requiring or permitting use of the Regents’ prayer must be struck down as a violation of the Establishment Clause because that prayer was composed by governmental officials as a part of a governmental program to further religious beliefs. For this reason, petitioners argue, the State’s use of the Regents’ prayer in its public school system breaches THE CONSTITUTIONAL WALL OF SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE. We agree with that contention, since we think that the constitutional prohibition against laws respecting an establishment of religion must at least mean that, in this country, it is no part of the business of government to compose official prayers for any group of the American people to recite as a part of a religious program carried on by government.”

(I capitalized the important bits since you don’t seem to be too into that readin’ stuff)

So there you have it. You say one thing, the Supreme Court of the United States says another. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna stick with the guys in the black robes with all the fancy law degrees.

But hey, thanks for playing. And thanks for proving once again that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.