Expert: Dean Gade - 4/22/2008

Question
Mr. Gade,

I am currently enrolled in Pattonville High school and am charged with writing a research paper on the question "What did the founding fathers mean through their writings on the topic of separation of church and state?"  I am required to conduct two interviews for this paper, and would appreciate it if you could answer a quick question for me:

What do you believe the founding fathers meant with their writings on the topic of intercourse of religion and government?

Thank You,
Dakota Jones

Answer
Thomas Jefferson is about the only one who used terms which could be interpreted as "separation of church and state" in his non-governmental writings.  But these writings were never included in any documents of our government....until the last few years by those who disagree with our legal documents.

The goal of our founding fathers was both to avoid setting up a state church which all would have to follow AND prohibiting any laws being made by the legal lawmakers of our nation (Congress) which would deny ALL religions from exercising their faith, religion or speech.

This is all in the very First Amendment to the Constitution of the USA.

"FIRST AMENDMENT
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Many who oppose the founding fathers reliance on a "Creator" as the giver of our rights (rather than rights being given, and taken away, by those of the government) are using only the "establishment" clause but trying to get rid of the "free exercise" clause.  

There is NO "wall of separation" in our nations legal documents. This phrase is only to be found in a writing of opinion separate from our legal documents.  It has been misused as propaganda and made into law in some cases NOT BY THE LEGISLATURE,  the appointed and separate body of Congress but by some of the Judicial Branch which has no right to make laws because of the separation of powers within our government to protect the freedom of the people on this nation.