Is Separation of Church and State a Relic of the Past?

[phkrause]

Is religious liberty fast becoming a disfavored right? Is the separation of church and state constitutional principle about to become an historical footnote? Reverenced as the heart of American constitutional law in the 1940s and 1950s, the separation of church and state principle is now openly reviled by opponents and all but forgotten by supporters. In the early 2020s, its future appears vague and terribly uncertain.

https://atoday.org/is-separation-of-church-and-state-a-relic-of-the-past/

[RonCorson]

Reading this article is like reading leftist propaganda. Well exactly like that actually. Notice what his definition is: "Separation of church and state refers to the attempt to keep government from influencing religion and religion from influencing government. "

Really is there something in the Bill of rights that limits the influence of people (who make up churches) to influence government? Of course not. It is a limit on the government not establishing or interfering with the free exercise of religion. If one does not even know what Jefferson's wall of separation refers to, how is one gets to write this kind of article?

A very sad day for Adventism with this kind of thing going on.

[Kevin H]

I hope not, but to a large extent it has been. Starting around 1980 the Republicans started leaning towards preference for Evangelical Christianity, with an opening for Jews who would work with them. This went on for a few decades. Then Benedict Donald took it farther than earlier Republicans would dare. I'd like to learn about any Republican candidates who have a respect for the separation of Church and State.  But sadly, instead of being true Republicans, too many who have thrown their hat into the ring have basically become the "Know Nothing Party" only with room for Catholics and some Jews. It is basically catholic (yes, small c) Europe. We have heard stories about last day events, there was the play "Now" there were discussions on how can the predictions of the Great Controversy happen in America. Today we are on the verge of living this.

Meanwhile, as this has been developing in the Republican party, there are Democrats who have reacted by wanting to give the same preference towards the religion of "Secular Humanism". This was the state religion of French Revolution Europe. It appears, at least to me, that as a whole the Democrats have not gone as far as the Republicans. It is easier to look for Democrat politicians who are closer to the separation of Church and State. But how long will this be until we loose the option among the Democrats as well?

A few years ago, I met a Republican candidate running for re-election for my district. He surprised me. While he was a Roman Catholic (and currently president of a Catholic college) he was an avid reader of Liberty, and on the religious liberty committee and worked closely with Liberty and thus had a fantastic understanding of religious liberty, as well as excellent bipartisan work in congress. We had a very good discussion, and of course I voted for him. (He won, but believed in term limits and did not want to run for a third term).   Our paths crossed again a few years later and he remembered me and told me that I gave him a lot to think about. People like him shows that there can be hope. But there is too much of an increasing rip tide to drag us away from the shore of separation of church and state. 

I worry about both parties. As we see these two ways of giving preference to either the Evangelical Christians, or the religion of Secular Humanism, is in many ways the principles of the conflict between the king of the north and the king of the south.   Of course the Bible tells us that ultimately the  Evangelic Christian side will win out.