Faith Education (was -RE: [HPFGU-OTChatter] the Eight Days of Chanukah)

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

Iggy:
> There is, supposedly written into law, a separation of Church and 
> State.

Laura:
I've always been sort of interested about this, actually.  Where does 
this "separation of Church and State" that is so often cited, *come* 
from, exactly?

When I was little, I always assumed it was the Bill of Rights, which 
*actually* states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an 
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof 
[...]."

This is obviously not quite in line with the modern day interpretation 
of "separation of Church and State."  So, what *is* the origin of this 
tag line?  An interpretation of the first Amendment by the Supreme 
Court?  Another law entirely?

Just curious.

Laura (who would like to note that she is not questioning the 
appropriateness of "separation of Church and State," because she 
recognizes that while it is not to the letter of the Bill of Rights, it 
is to the *spirit.*)

P.S. Don't be so hard on the Southern Baptists.  One, their religion 
teaches them that any friends/family/acquaintances they fail to convert 
will burn in hell for all eternity -- sort of makes "tolerance" and 
"acceptance" of other religions seem like willful manslaughter to a lot 
of them.  Two, just because they have a few wackos among their members 
who get all the attention (because wackos are naturally more 
interesting than normal people), doesn't mean the majority of them 
aren't reasonable, sensible people like you and me.  Three, yes, some 
of them are intolerant, which is a Bad, but being intolerant back is 
like trying to make two wrongs equal a right.  Love, people.  Love. ^_~

P.P.S.  If the above doesn't convince you to soften your arguments a 
bit, you might want to consider that there may well be a number of 
Southern Baptists on this list who might not appreciate being cast in a 
less than favorable light -- especially in contrast with the obvious 
care, thought, and sensitivity you put into your recent posts about 
Judaism.

P.P.P.S. Uh...so, okay.  You caught me.  I'm from Maine -- I've never 
ever *met* a Southern Baptist, so I'm sure someone out there is going 
to try to tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about or what 
they're like.  And...um...I guess I don't.  *shrugs* But let's not try 
to fight intolerance with intolerance, okay?