Here is a short history test. Can you show me in the Constitution or Bill of Rights where the phrase "separation of church and State" is used? You can't! Many laws and arguments have risen because of the first 16 words which state, "The First Amendment to the Constitution states that 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 from a redress of grievances."



A letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802, originated the much repeated phrase, “separation of Church and State." According to Thomas Jefferson, the First Amendment served the purpose of "building a wall of separation between Church and State." Not quite the statement "separation of Church of State," though close.

The First Amendment was originally meant to protect the citizen's rights to express their beliefs freely, protect government from undue religious influence, and to keep government from limiting the citizen's free religious expression. It seems that part of the amendment has gotten lost or been forgotten.

There have been many tales about teachers who cannot bring their Bibles to school for reading in their free time. Other stories tell of students who supposedly had their reports turned back to them because the reports were on the Bible, but other children were allowed to write about Harry Potter.

Although I can't confirm these tales, I have heard the tale of "The Sneeze." In the spring of 2001, a high school in Illinois had been placed under a temporary restraining order that prohibited prayer as part of graduation. Therefore, graduate Ryan Brown stopped for a moment as he approached the podium to deliver his speech. The audience clapped and cheered when he lowered his head and clasped his hands in silent prayer. At one point of his speech, Ryan intentionally sneezed, prompting many of the assembled students to shout, “God bless you." That one act enabled Ryan to bring God into the ceremony. The Chicago Tribune carried an article about this on May 21, 2001.

It is sad to see many of our traditions getting thrown away. The research I've done for this article has provided me with a better understanding of the original intent of the Founding Fathers to prevent the agencies of the government from being used to foist the beliefs of one individual onto another. I can envision how it would feel to have a religion that is different from that of the majority and be forced to take part in activities that go against my beliefs. I personally would not be capable of placing my own hand on a Koran and swearing to Allah to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. A Muslim not wanting to do the same with the Bible is understandable.

The government websites of the National Archives and the Library of Congress contain a rich history that is available to all of us. We are lucky to live in an era where our roots are easily accessible on the Internet.