Separation of Church and State- by Benny Bierbaum

Outline

A. Introduction

1. “The United States of America is a Christian Nation” People want their

religious values to be in the government and taught in schools.

2. History: Pilgrims for religious freedom from Gov.- Immigrant groups

after Civil War- Wanted by the religious because they couldn't agree

in the first place.

3. The United States of America should not have any laws respecting a

religious body and it should not be taught in schools

4. Which religion should we teach? Not everyone is Christian. If

Christianity, whose version? Catholic, Protestant, etc? Which verses

would form our laws and foreign policies?

B. Explanation

1. If I was in charge of choosing what to teach in schools, whose religion

and what verses would I teach? Shellfish are abominations? Stone

your unruly children? Kill those who work on the Sabbath? Kill the

Infidels?

2. “Freedom of Religion” also means “Freedom from religion”- 1st

Amendment to U.S. Constitution- Treaty of Tripoli- Quotes from

Founding Fathers

3. I don't want people telling me what to think, and America is more

than just a Christian nation. It is a Jewish nation, a Muslim, Buddhist

 and Non-Believing nation.

C. Refutation

1. “Christian Values need equal time in classrooms,” or “America was founded on

Christian values.”

2. Treaty of Tripoli: “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in

any sense, founded on the Christian religion...” - Benjamin Franklin: “Lighthouses

are more helpful than Churches.” - Thomas Jefferson: “Christianity is the most

perverted system that ever shone on man.” - First Amendment: “Congress shall

make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof...”

D. Digression

1. The Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were “wicked

places,” and let's just say what happened in Gomorrah, stayed

in Gomorrah. God found out about this, so he sent two Angels

to investigate. The Angels went to the one Godly man in town

named Lot. And the townspeople tried to rape them. Not

wanting his hometown to get the reputation of the kind of place

that would rape Angels, Lot offered his own daughters to rape.

He was the good guy in the story. If I ever had to swear an oath

where I promise to be moral and truthful, why would I want to

put my hand on a Bible?

E. Conclusion

1. People don't want to be told what to do, and if any one religion were
 to be placed in Government policy, every person who doesn't agree

with those views (and they have a right to under the Constitution)

would protest.

2. It is in the Constitution: Government doesn't respect any body of

religion. The Treaty of Tripoli confirms this. The Founding Fathers

Confirm This. Even if one religion were chosen to be the basis of

Government, which sect of that religion?

3. You wouldn't like it being told what to think, would you?

4. Everyone reserves the right to think for themselves and choose

whatever they want to believe. Don't let the government choose for

you.