One Nation Under God or One Nation Without God
(rr\ '^ '^^ l^fcLlcnC po!iS]blc under law^
Ka^^^S^HD H n mJ Piccirillo h^s ^ii^i^ aLI DaEitcl Plcc]rillG
copyrlghc, morAl nghfc, daCjbosc rigbiL>, iind my Minzh 25^, 2CX)8
Dlhcrrighls Lbia1 mighl be a^iscrl«f avcrlhLS iiDrt N NJi S C I nss of 200**
Qije>l3on i\'nh ho\dnc^'^ cvrn ihccxcsttnccof God_ because if thcrt be one. He must *ppiove chc
homage ot Re 8*^011 rBLhczr tbian Ihal of bl 1 ndfo Ided Fr^r
— Tho mii JeffcniO n
Is 1bir CJnilKl 5lBte> a nation under God . or a nat]on wilhout God? [>cb4lc continues lo th]s day
ovcrlhc influcnrc of religion in government Wilh the Bppnnprt*tr hi'>toric4l conlcxt in mind^ lht fact
thai the sc[tBrat]on of cbiurch bekI stitc piovadcsi everyone with frccdDiii md equality md IhBt the
"founding filbicis" of our nation hid tEit& in mind becomes undeii]abLy evident The AmencBn
"founding falhcrs " could refer to Bnyone who hid 4 key place in eslBbli^hing Ihc country for whal i1 ]^
today bnt ihal would hive lo include "every s]gncr of lhc [>eclar4lion of Independence Bnd the
Con.'^tittitiDn of ihe United SIbEbs — indeed^ every governor and every member of ever>' ratifying ^iBEe
legtsUture.^' Here I he lenn is used to address the hey figures who's greal mindb shaped the
fund B menial ]deis fn>m which thi't country was founded npLm S n<!C]1 ic b Ll> , lhe 1erm i^ u-'tenl thioughoul
1his pijx^r 1o refer to Benjimin Franklin, Tbionn^ Jefferson, John -\dim*i James NfBdison. ind Thomas
Paine. Fiom the beginnings the 'founding falhers" intended nol Id keep leligion hIrictLy out of
government, nor to establish the Untied Elales bs aChnslian nation, bu1 to pre^>erve equality *nd pn^1ec1
the individuiL liberties of all pccple regaidles^ of their relkgious beliefs, ethnic bac kgro nnd , o r political
pcrsuBsion
The concept of separation belweeii chui'ch and s1ale is officially e^1 abli'^hcul in the founding
document's of the United StBtes. Article [V section 3 of the U.S. Constituliun reads, ~Nd religious tesi
'>ha1l ever be required bs a qualification to any office or public trust under lhe Untied Staler "' Thi^ is
mcint to keep pai pie fiom being pu1 inlo offuie, or not pul into office, bised on iheirieligion. The First
Amendment in the Bill of RighK begin'>, ~CDngre^'> ^hBll make no law respecting Bn eslabli^hmenl of
religion."^ This explicilly markb whBt has come to be known 1hi~ou^li the courts as the wall of
separalion ' between church and state. These two documents upon which the country was directly
1 Normal Con^fcs. iNO^-t^^j- TlYu^'INe^.^ York HarpcrA Bicther^ I95SJ,2
2 Cuvi itri ua of 4 he Uaitcd ^t1a>, h4 [i /^w^~^ tuuh ivcs.goy/i]Ll lonjI-^Lfutiiyc^
cxpcncncc/chtutcrs^oiH ilul joij un-wnjl html
3 Bill of R igirs, kt p ^Vwww lajTiji-esf c^Vfciiofcd-tiirh ivcs-c;tp:ricace/climicis;l}iL^ litnF
fc]L£nd«J give no nicnt]on of any God. SurcL>^ ihcrf muHl be some danger in BllDwing govcrnmcnl and
religion tc mix^ Hnd the aLiEliop>cir the?iedcicument^ were consc ious of it.
Ad^Ktlcs and opponcntsi of The flepirBtion between church and stale hn'e become miensely
poJarizcd in Iheir cunfliding views. One side says the other is hosliLc ta religion^ while the oppLibitc
says ihtl ihe other is mtrBLtBblc lo i1 "" Each hide reel'> that they are losing and ltie lUiue beeome^ even
more jiolarized. Bo tbi sides try to pin the 'fcuFHFtng fatheTH" and documenis of Ihe nil ion b^ hupporling
their own viewri. when lhe issue ih no1 for or against any panicular rehf lon^ hut ralbier alhoul religiou"^
frce^lom. Reiigtou&Fy molivated nzvi'tioniMs atlempt lo reinterpret Ihe constEl u tioni I biistory of our
nation, ree^t our colJec1i>e history, and produce a myth of an Evangelical Chnslian foundalion by
putting a fol of time, energy ind money in1o pijp>uing their agenda. ^ Those who want religion entirety
removed from governmeni ind ihose who wani rehgton tightly woven inio governnicnl, bo1h fill to
undersland how "^eparalion of oKuich and ^latc exists to pn3lee1 1heir own freedom of, as well as fiom,
religion. Dcwjully religious and adamantly no n relig lo us people ahke have the First Amendment to
thank for Iheir frce^ki m 1o pruztbce and hold Id their own beliets. ]1 is essential 1o consider the his to Fie al
context of the issue 1o genuinely undep>tBnd lhe 'founding father^'" Irue intenlions and to see the
imparlance o1 keeping church and s1alesepara1e.
Dispute conlinues belween lhese Iwo pjlargroufH often wilhout lhe necessary hi'>tonLal conlex!
behind the separation. To be able To better analyze and understand the founding documents, i1 i^
important lo vtew Ihe is^ue with Ihe appnjpriale context tnsm the time of the "founding tnhers " A1 the
tune nf the nation's founding, (.binrcbi and slate iiHJeed were no1 separate Slates did "sponsor their own
churches, but it was realized by the fouiHJep> of 1he country thai religion in Ihe colonies^ mnunifbrm as
4 AconvciEiion wjifc Joi Mcir ham. O^pit A'^^rr^r fji^tr GfW^ Jji ^rjrjcy rurrh lt^k^ G^xaJ WW, Ancncjn HiHor^' ^l 42.
Nd KApnl2007).J:-J9
5 Grrgoiy W Humiton . A-iij^^r^rj PSitnslsjtMf/:xFAjncstc^i's r^jn TJr LT^ r jVaf J jjn Jit ^KiTf, Li ticny: Mapzinc oF Rcli^iou^
FiralomlScftjDrt 2007). S
ni\'B'^ h^4'> becoming '>o plurBli?^ IhBt in cslabl]^hnicnl of religion coukl mean 1 1 tile more thin public
financial '>uppDn ind preference tar one 'dcnDmi nation' of C tiristi i ns/'^ No! only were there the mBjor
differences m religion regiDnilly, but Ihcre were al±iO ihe dirfcrcnc«] wklhin Ibube regions. E-veryone
was fiDm iJ]ffercnl groujTh w]th different rel]gious b bl kf.ro nndi, experience^- and outlDDks. The> all
belonged to diffcrcn! d]visions Bnd -^ubd] v 1*1 lo ni _ brBncbi«> and sijbbrBncbi«> ot religion^- There wa^ no
way 10 unite everyone under one cJiuxch^ lo it wbs decided thBt Lbinrcbies would no longer be
gDvemment funded This rehgious plurBlit^' actually prov]ded ^trenglh_ nnl wcflknes^- It wbs pointed
out by various indivtduals like JeJfePton IhH what was Iruc for America pohlically wis Irue in ihe
TTveise '>piri tua I ly. In primes il was: Untied we sland^ div]ded we fall [n religion Divided w^ "itand^
ijn]teiJ wefall ""
Tlie 'founding fBthep>" did no1 WBnt lhe country to operate under lhe control or direct ]nfluence
of B rehgton. They underMood the pnnblem^ BSHOc]ated wath b theocracy The country was founded with
the tnlention of sccunng freedom for ill individuaJs in ihetr bclicfii, pricliecii, thoughbi^ and wont
The>' knew ihBt relig]ous freedom wbs necesi^aiy to pn3lec1 people fiDm chuich legislation agaan-^l
d]^sen1er^ Bnd an inevHable contest foi ptwer between differeni denominaUons The freedom not to
worship IS necessary because if government controlled this^ tbien i1 could soon control biow and wberc
worship would be Thi^ would be unacceptable e^■en to many religious people The 'founding falhera''
simply c^Lild nol approve of a federal chuxcii
American henlep* made Iheir journey under lhe impression tbia1 lhe>' were leaving behind the
lyrannic^ in Europe, but Colonial America had almost all of the >ery ^ame formal ol jxM^ctulion The
Bill of Rights was put in place b^KC if ic a I ly for the pnrpsbe of putting an end to I hat. One example 1^ in
6 Join E Wifcioadt &nnEiid L Dcakcinaa_ C/^ «r/? hj^^J S^r^ ^r ^^mrjYir/jN H^ jfjjry IColoiodo V/crfview Prr3>. 2G0J)_ J7
7 Jantr.Jl
S CovsiQ^ 6
Puritan M i^>sachuHC1 ti _ Quflkcr^ were bani'>hcd and those who stayed or relurned were k]lLed ^ Our
consliEulional freedoms are ju";! as much b itsuFi cf the Fel]gtDus monnprtlicb and cipprefiS]on bierr. as
thai in Europe.
Leading up to^ knd some lime afler the roiJiid]ng of the nabon whs a period mHrked by
piopagiting nonreLig]OLi'^ free! ho Light and relLg]OLi'^ iJ]*i^cnt "The chiirth reictcd to the dissemination of
secular idei*^ jLi'^1 Like lI did 1bic Enlighlenment. Con.'icquc n tLy^ 1herc wa^i a tinge rchgiDU"! pusbi Id regain
gTDund. Fram ES50-I?06^ ^pcnd]ng fbr ihe construction of chuichcs InpLcd " The colonics had a
dynimic culture and only 5% of Americans had forma] tics to a ohuroh or sy n agoguc in 1790 compared
to 43^ in 1910 '^ The ■&und]ng falhcis'' were jvoducls of thL> time of spreading freclhoLight_ They
were lheEn]if.bitcnmen1 Lbiinkep>of iheirlime
On the fclar oppasite* of ihis debate are Ihoi^e who believe 1ha1 Ihe foijnd]ng falhers " were
evangelicals and those who believe that they were atheists Neither art correct Hone of the 'founding
fathcis" were evangelicals or atheists Tlicy were deisis and freel hinkeni. Mo^i ot Ihem may have
considered ihemselvcs Chri'>tian. as most people of the time did^ bul lhal only meanl thai the^ valued
^>ome aspects of Christ] anUy and believed ]n the importance of J esus C hn-^l j us t an 1hose who were only
considered deisbi al ihe time did. It wa^i nndeistood ]n a lileral "leibe^ and did not mean thai Ihey werr
very religious people ]n the dogmal]c sense.
Tlic fbrefalhcjs v^ncd on how icligious Ihey were Thomas Ftinc was very anli-iehgio us and
hid very much to say about ]t^ although he was a de]'fl Eenjam]n Franklin valnenl virtue aiHTL'c all else^
bul did believe thai rehgion had a lot lo do w]th v]rlije John \dams was religious, bul he was a
Cimlanan CJn] ve n>al ist Tho m as Jeffeiso n was truly a freethinker, tie did nol blindly follow religion and
9 COVSIQ-S II
10 Sisin j£Jcob^'. y^^tiTj^u nAtTT istuTf^M-', (^ ^r?7rf7^-isfTjrcnSf/rtBTT{'Scvy Yoik Md iDpolina Enots. ZHMJ. 14
11 JLKOb> 151
12 Jacobr.m
was ac1ual]y ^ktp^](.i] of it_ .\s a whole, 1tity all oppssctl creed- b a*»cd dugm a tic religion.
Tn re^jx»nsr 1o BrUain'^ repeal ot an old law thil mide l1 a crime to deny lhe exi'^tcncc ot 1bic
Hoty Trim ty, Jo hn Aduns wiolc the followmg in a Letter to Thorn is Jeffenion in 3SLJ.
We (.an never be socerlainor An> Prophecy, or the fulfillment of any Prophecy, or of *ny
miracle, or the deMgnof any miracle as We arc, fiom 1bic ro'elation of nature ] e nalures God
thit two and two are equil to four. M iric I e*> or Pro phecie^ mighl tnghlen lis to "^ay lhal Wc
bcheve thil 2 and 2 make ^ But We should not believe it We should know the contrary."
Here he say^ 1hal reLig]on can Lie and therefore we sbionLd no1 put religion above reason Th]"^ ]s why
government and leligion cannol opcrile logether ll woiiLd be 1oo dangeioici The fxitenlidl for eIic
government Id beco me co rrupl and lake advin! age of pco jJe's failh is toogmt.
Bolh Jime^ MAd]SDn ind Thomas Jeffen^on opposed a ^m^po^il by Reverend Jii^per .\dams fur
the government to spLmior Christiinily '"^ The LTniled Stiles wt^ intended to he free for all pcopLc
regardless of culture, ethnic ily language, or relig]on .^n exceptional quole by Tbiomis Jefferson to the
Viiginia bapli'^ls ]n I SOS gives a good idea of how he saw the issue
Because reiff^irjti^ befiej^ fx* nfxn-beffef. is '^ich air fmpori{?fit jxa^f qf €vef y pef 'i^nn'^ f^. f^eedr^rn
t^ tefi^it^r afj^cts ewry irrdhniiiaf. Sl£^fe chitnhe^ iha7 it^e g{7\^m*?iirfit jx^jvi^r fo ^itppori
ihemsefves and J{?r^e fheif t^^iMT ^an jxer^m^ ^jf {?lh6'f Jijilh^ jjhJ^jth^^ a!t onf irvdV tigtifs
A■f^■>Jdy3^^^ siaie siff?f?c^ t^ ihe ^hAindj Pfirrfr ffj make fhe ciergy uxjte'^xrjn^iiv io ihe peopie aird
fe£^d^ ftxcfxtntfilffjn wrthirr ^r^r^^jcjr Erec'fhig ?/rf "n^W of ^?ar£^U{?fi !^f^veefl ^hiiych ^hJ ^^uTe."
iherefore, h ab'^xirtleiy e^'^efitiaf in a Jree si?c'iety. We fa^k^ ^xived ... fhe f^reaf and inTere'^ing
qtte'^r^Tn ^v^reihe^ freed{?tn of refif^ion is c'^M?if?aiibie with or^iet m gt^^nmieirl aird o!^diex2^e fo
ihe ^^n^T. Aird ^^^ h^^we ejcpef ieirced the zjiiiel a^ wetf n^" the tv^M7cwT wtrrcfi rebuff ^^frtyfff ieavin^
€vef y CTif to ptf^^fteety and {?pex2iy tho'^e prm^ipfes ^^ yeSigr^m vi'^ich aye lhe indncfi^ms f^
hh tfwn ^fffdWJfF aird the ^ef cfxis cfjt2i'icfi{?ns f^ his {7\vrr mt^tnies^^
This nihes excellent [ninbi ahoul church ind stite. Churches should nof need governmen! jwwer 1o
support themselves and coubd casil>' lake advanlage of ihal power, wcie il given lo Ihcm, to fonze iheir
views on people. Eiistory tioL4±> much fa~ODf of that The ^eparahon of church ind "ilate ]s a neccs^iry
piolechon of an individuaL\ freedom to belie^T in ind pracncc their own religious or no n- rehgious
14 JiaMiiltD«,S
15 f l«l llOllE In pcdEl ^1^ iJnr Umle^ SfiIrrs}ix^aicfF^^TS ChnjItiSfnfi ^ f JaillEin' 200B)
beliefs. Noliibic jx!oplc ihrtju^hout Amcr](.an hL>tory. ]ncLiJiJ]n^ vcrj" rcLig]ous pcp>ore>, have explained
tl]i&.
Rcgcr WiLJiams wu an Englash thcolugiBn who believed stFungJy 3n his rcligtoub views me well
Hs the ^epanUon of church Bncl stile Hi^i belief wb^ thu CBcbi ji^rson should hive lhe freedom tc chnbc
lhrir own bclicts ind thit people '>hould be individuil bclicveii- not foLloweni of Iho^c ftho hold lhe
power in Eoc]ely ' As religious as he wa'>^ he knew lhal rclLgion was nol '>Dmethiiig Id be forced ujx^n
pccpic and thu true religion wbs embraced by pcopfe of their own free will.
Presidenl Abrahiin LiiKoln wmi^ presented with a pcUhon for a Christiin government and he, as
well as Coiigre^'>^ denied takmg any aclion to CKri'>tianL7f the ConstilLition^ and Congress would
continue to cssenlially WBive the propLiJiaL >i:Br afler ^ear'^ Lt was simply much too contiovcp>iBl nnd
was bound to lead 1o dividing the people, tie was Irying to rcslore peace End older after the Civil War
and the last thing he needed wis more divisive fighlang over lhe pass lo nale feel i ngs held about religion.
President John F Kennedy, the only praclicing Roman Calholic to ever be elccled prcsidenl.
said the following in oneo^ tiis remBrkjs on church aEid stale.
[ believe in an America wbii^re 1bie ^epB ration of (.binrcbi and ^tBte is Bbsolute — where no Calholic
prelBte would lell lhe President (-should he be a Calholic] how lo act and no Protestant mini^ler
would tcIL his parishionep> for whom lo vole — where no church or church school is granted any
public fund^ or political preference — and where no man is denied public office merely because
bus religion diffeis trom lhe Presiden! who mighl appoint him or the people who migh1 elec!
biim.^^
The undcriying message in his words is thai religio n sho ukJ not be aconccFnorgovenimcnl ind people
'>hould no1 be pul into office based on iheir beliefs. The United StBtes governmeni is a secular
inslitulion 1bial serves to maintain oider in society^ not to impose morals^ Ihrouf h legislation. Laws ar^
16 Glcaa W LiiPtiaiJMC One NhrwMi Uraia GfxJ-' Lrhcfi^ St^^ rhr S^mJ Amcnnii HLtfoiy, \b1 42, No I (\iwil2Ki7>,23-
17 JiKQb> ]0&
]S \Vib>oi]dul IG9
pBs^cd for ihc piirposr of governing people in 4 (.hanging sor]tly End officul!! arc pu! inlo office for
making the bKkt decisions fonbicir role. Religious beliefs are nol rclevanl to one's ability To do th*t_fob.
hOiich of Ihc argumenl tuday is biscd on the Christian mijorLly. but i Christian mBjorily dues
not make a ChristiBn nBtion The United Stoics i'^ 4 free iiBtion and a nalion of equBlily Whal would b
ChriMian nal]on mean for bII those Americani who ire not ChrisLiBn'^ Are Lhc^ really any Ics^
American because ot their leligious belie^'^ Reverend John Leland^ 4 'hell-fire preBching coloniBi
BtptESI fiom Virginia" wnste ihat 'the notcon of a Chnstian commonweahh should be exploded
forever."*^ He argued ihal,
Ct^^nitfieiil slit^fd prijfect evef \' fiu^*2 iri ihintiing and ^j?^iLirigJr^^K^ ami ^t^e ihai <jae does nt^
^j^^jsv an{?ih6't. Ttre fiberiy i <.fjnfefid Jor h im^e fhan i^^etatifffj The \^^r\ tiiea f^i^^etatifffj is
des{ticable: if sappos^ts ftral wjfjjt fa^k^ ^ pre^fffinenc^ aixjue fhx.^ yeil lo ^rtrfrl mditff^en<.er
vi'hete^i^ trff Ji^mfii be et^tafi y free. /nw. TcNts, ftr^jrt^ an^f Chrhfk^n^ '
^3is point wai thil people of all religion should be more than just 'tolerated " Tbieralion only means
lhal Ihey ire Bccepted^ in the weakest meaning of the x^'oid^ but Ihc^ should bII be equals This.
ilongbide freedom^ i^ whal the sepBralion of church andstite pnnvides— equilily
^ithoul 1he nepBration of church and stUe^ Ihe s1ale could corrupt The churchy bs fcBred by
Roger WilfiBms, or the church could cornipl The stiTe^ 4S feirctl by Thomas Jefferaon ^ Separalion
bcTween chuich and blalc, as outlined in "Fatietus £^ Chutdi-Slale Refi^irons'^' by John CoJeman
Ben net!, gives ihree importani pio tet tions: freedom of the church fiDm stile, freedom of ihe stBte from
church contiol Bnd church inde[wndence "
19 |-LiMiilto«,S+
20 |-LiMiilro«,&i-
21 ^ViLsoidal.nS
:: \Vib>oiidi3l ISO
'Equal and r\ac1 justice Id bII mentor wbialcvcr slate or pcisuasLon^ re I igious or jx^l i |]c 4] . pcBCc:
commerce^ ind honest friendship with all nalions^ entangling alUonccft wuh none. freedom of
religion," uc all prbiH:]paLk of the United Stitcs outlined b^' Thomas Jefferson in has firsl inaugLiral
iddrc^s in Mairh of [SO] ^' Separalicn of ehunzh ind slate exLsLs to protect tho^f pnncipBis for the
benefit of rver>'one and tbia1 ^ai Ihe intenlLon of 1bir "founding. tBlhcp>_" The CJnatcd Slates is neHher a
nttion under God, nor b nation witbionl one but a nBtion ot liberty and equBlily
2J T homiEi Jcffcr^jn /■mj ^r^irji^jjraf ^j^Atji, IMarefc, ISOl)
B]bliDgri[?Ky
Jncoby, Susin Frecthinkcn;: b Ti lsId ry ci f Amcricin Seculjnam - New Yoife Mctrci pD li tin
BDDki.. 2CHH-
WlIeoji, John E_, and Dun b Id L_ DrakemaD- Chuich jnd Slnlg ]n Amcncan HsIcie~v - 3nl cd_
BauldcF: WesLvicw P_ 2DD3_
Causans, Narmin "In GdlJ Wc Tru^L" .Nc^ York Harper & BrDlbicr>_ L95tt_
H amil Loa, Grcgo ry W_ "RcJigiaiaa Pluriliim md Ameri^ a's C h rsEi b n Niticrn E>cbi1c-" Liberty^
Migjjine of RElLgiDLia FrredDm 2QQ7 SIRS Knowlfd;^ Stmrce . ] I Fcb_ 2^108.
"OncNiHon Under God'' in Good F*3th and Good Will-" Amcrlcin bl]blDTy Apr ^007 51R5
Km]ftlEdgL! SnuR-e - LLFch-?DQB-
L*fin1aiLCr Glenn W_ "One NiLion Under God'' Liberty forlhe Soul." ^mcncjn History Anr.
2007- 5ER5 Knox^ ledge Source . I ] Feb. 200tt-
LTniled SLjIcs uf America. ComtiluLion - ^ hn p f/^ ww.an: hj VL!i-gc vVni1 1 rrnil- airhivLS-Expcn ence/
Ezh b rtcra/consLi I u tton_lrB n*ic npl h I m] ^
Uniled StiTe^ of Americ a. Bil T of R ig h t5 <hTtp:Wwww_in:hivc5_gDvrtiBtiDnBl-in:h3\'cs-
cicpe Rcnize/i: h arteri/b lI I_o f_ngbi&_transcnpL JiIiilI>x
"WiH Ihe CJniled Suiei Founded on Chri*iLL*nit>?" Free Lbia ugbitpcd I a . 25 Jan. 200S_ l] Feb_ 2008
^ hnn/ZlreglhoughLpedjacom/mkL/^'a^ the LTniled Slalefi fouiHled on Chii^LLinl[vX3F> .
"TbiomBK Jeffereon: Fl&I IniugurBl Addiess. Lr_S_ [nau^unl j\ddn=&SQ. L91t9_" BarL[eb> -4 Mar
ISQE. 2K Feb- 21)08 <hElp-//www-b afllcby-com/ 124/iins i6-hlml^-
WodGnunl:321F
