why does so much opinion exist about separation, church/state, when its in the constitution? all about history.org/ separation of church ...?

People these days read a LOT into the concept of the separation of Church and State.

Originally, it was simply the desire to not have the Church in Government, as was the case in England. There, the Church of England is part of the government, and vice verso. The monarch is Head of the Church, and bishops sit in the House of Lords. Parliament mush change things like the Book of Common Prayer. Now, this is for England only, and not the whole UK, so, it gets a bit tricky now. However, the USA did not want a system like this.

Originally, that's all it meant. But, these days it has been expended to imply all sorts of things, like no prayer in school, no Christmas trees on government property, and a lot more.

The church/state our founding fathers were worried about was an official state religion. At the time our country was founded the Reformation had not been over all that long. Most European countries, including Great Britain, had an "official state church." In most places, including the colonies, you were required to pay tithes to the state church even if you were not a member. They were not trying to suppress religion (which is the current purpose of so many anti-Chrisitans today) but ensure that no single religion imposed its beliefs on everyone at large.

My answer is we believe in this concept and apply it to one another and change it, the first ammendment, to fit our judging questions on Y/A but like many books we have faith in, we need to actually read, Then we can say it does or does not compel people to take action, or stifle themselves based on THEIR belief, not our "antireligion"

The idea that the congress can establish a religion to have everyone adhere to is prohibited in the first ammendment. That's what i see Gerald Cline saying in his paragraph also.

When we use the idea to say "the separation of church and state prohibits (blah)"

We could rather say, the 1st ammendment keeps congress from

making us believe in any one established religion.

Paying tribute, and having state or federally selected church leaders establishing law and judgements about law.

Other than that, it's a concept and political idea each person can use to position himself about issues, and petition the elected officials for his area to see things his way.

I read on Y/A often how it is seemingly getting turned into NO you have to worship science, and each new precept every time it gets rethought

and the books are rewritten or you are an idiot !

(meanwhile, we like the laws based on the values we adopt from England, Bible based.) yea, don't change the stuff that protects morality and decency.

But we hate God and fail to read the second half.