What about the rest of separation of church and state?

If the Church and State are Separate..
Here is something for every American to consider in light of all the changes that have taken place in America under the guise of separation of Church and State. Since we can鈥檛 pray to God in public, and since we can鈥檛 trust in God, and since we cannot post his Commandments in government buildings, I don鈥檛 believe the government and it鈥檚 employees should participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations which honor the God that our government is eliminating from so many facets of American life.
I鈥檇 like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. After all, it鈥檚 just another day. I鈥檇 like the U.S. Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday and Easter as well as Sundays. After all, according to them they are just another day. I鈥檇 like the Senate and the House of Representatives not to worry about getting home for the 鈥淐hristmas Break.鈥?After all, it鈥檚 just another day. I鈥檓 thinking that a lot of our taxpayer dollars could be saved if all government offices and services would work on Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. THINK ABOUT IT鈥?br>
It shouldn鈥檛 cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be 鈥減olitically correct.鈥?In fact, I think that our government should work on Sundays (a day initially set aside for worshiping God) because, after all, our government says that it should be just another day. If the church and the state are going to be separate isn鈥檛 it about time that have their feet held to the fire? They鈥檝e removed God and the bible as a source of responsibility, isn鈥檛 it about time God be removed as source of rest as well

Well now you're making some sense. Since there is no God, those are NOT holidays. For once, I agree with you. And really, just blame it on Bush. Everyone else does. So who the hell cares? I don't, not anymore.

Research antidisestablismaentarianism on the web.

You still here, monkey?

While I don't necessarily disagree with you, I would like to point out one fallacy in your argument. You state that, "I鈥檓 thinking that a lot of our taxpayer dollars could be saved if all government offices and services would work on Christmas, Good Friday and Easter." However, these are all days that taxpayers do not pay wages. It costs the taxpayers money to employ people and have them work on those days. It costs less money (in fact, no money) to have the employees take a day off.

FATHER FATHER FATHER. i am glad i am here in australia we can prayer where ever we want.
and who wouldn't i pray all the time .
oh please don't take any notice to my name i am hiding.

Ask and you shall receive. Many businesses are now open on Christmas Day and the employees do not receive overtime. There are less and less places closed on what were religious holidays. Now they are statutory holidays. Haven't you seen that it's no longer PC to say Merry Christmas but rather happy holidays.

I would ask Bush that question since he still mentions God and Religion in his public addresses.

sorry, getting rid of holidays will cost more money because they're built into union contracts. also, your congress people are getting home to see santa clause and the easter bunny; not the birth and death of christ.

Let's see, the last time I remember reading the constitution the words "Seperation of Church & State" were not in there. It makes no establishment of an Offical belief like Islam is in the arab world, NOR does it prohibit the free exercise thereof.

let's face it, even though there's a seperation of church and state most of the country IS christian (this inclueds the political leaders and it's employees) people would just not work on holy days even if there was work, so it's easier to just shut down. it's not right but as 2% of the jewish pop. in the US i can say that you just have to deal with it (i won't work on You Kippur)

I don't think seperation of church and state has as much to do with days off as it does with allowing church dogma to affect decision making. Allowing government workers to take off on Easter, Christmas, etc. is just a way of respecting the most common religious holidays for Americans. In many public schools, they allow Mulim children to pray to Mecca(sp) at the appropriate times...this is not really an issue of seperation, just respect for their religion. I do agree, however that things like the ten commandments being in the courthouse, "under God" in the pledge of allegiance, and the infamous 'holiday tree' are all stupid little nitpicky things...But I believe when our forefathers made this decision, their meaning was what I said earlier: Not allowing someone's religious beliefs to affect their decision making, or the government policy-making as a whole.

UMM, who stops you from praying in public? We do still have freedom of speach, and you should sue whomever is trying to make your speach unfree. Christmas is actually the only religious holiday that federal workers get off, not Easter or whatever the phuck else you listed. And everyone takes Christmas off so we can think about the true meaning of Church and state. You think that is bad? My old corporation was based back on the east coast, all you had to do was tell them you are Jewish out there, and you get like another two weeks of paid holiday time to observe the many Jewish holidays. So pick your religion with that in mind.

First, I agree with most of your points. Second, it's uninformed people that cause most of the problems this country has. I am a Christian, and have studied the laws of this country. No! I am not a lawyer! But find for me the reference, "the separation of church and state" in the Constitution.

That's right, it's not there!!! Legislation has been passed on various platforms, but it is the voters, not the government, that have allowed this to happen.

When one disgruntled person voices their opinion about how much influence the church has on the government, most people are unaware or do not feel like getting involved. This is the true travesty.

Both are actually separated. But they are dealing with the same person. Can the same person then be separated?

In the sense that they are relgious holidays, I don't disagree. But these have also gone beyond simple religious holidays to be a sort of cultural thing. Christmas has the whole notion of Santa Claus mixed in, which is really a pagan tradition, except that almost nobody knows or cares. Easter has the Easter Bunny, which is in essentially the same boat as Christmas.

Personally, I'm not Christian, but I don't mind the fact that I live in a predominately Christian society. I say let them have their nativity scenes and whatnot, especially where Christmas is concerned, because we could all use the kind of love that Christmas invokes in people. Just don't forget that the rest of us exist, too.

And as a minor correction, we (I say "we" since I work for the government) don't get both Good Friday and Easter. I believe we get the Friday off. Most of us don't work on Sunday anyhow.

First you should understand that the government is not something that God instituted therefore it does the wrong thing most of the time. The Christian principals that America was founded upon do not raise money or vote, Where would we be if sin were not allowed to flourish and what would government have to do if not save us from ourselves by looking good as they pass law after law when it took only 10 for God to get his point accross. Those who think their salvation is on this planet will always miss the point.

you have a great insight on the subject i love it and your right they should work on those days if they really wanted seperation of churchand state. and although they still celebrate maybe it does have to do with seperstion if they are christians and want x-mas off?

It is a sad time in our history. The fall of this Democracy is not far off. The people of this country have lost site of everything that has made this country so great . The voters have let Government into every aspect of there day to day lives and they keep giving up more control everyday.We have no one to blame but ourselves for this and we are the only ones who can change it by our votes.
This country that my father and Uncles fought for no longer exists. God have Mercy on us. Please

Basically Its simple ! This Country has a Law of Declaration That goes by a old and outdated Constitution and the Declaration was wrote over 150 yrs ago ! That are not what the society in general Beleive's in ! Because of all the foreiger's moving here ! and the cities are getting over populated and we all drive Cars to much ! Remember back then there wasn't Electricity or Cars ! And they also wrote up these ideas in settlements in unknown territorys of Newly aquired lands that where basically stolen from Indians all the way to WEST COAST ~ So this is the land of the free & the Brave ! But the Equalility needs are still written Laws that where drafted back in the Early settlers Days ~ It was even written before alaska or Hawaii was states ~ And it has never been changed to accomidate the new Variety of Peoples in The nation it was written for !
So What is OUR United States of America going to do about it ? well thats another Question all together > so We just need to get along with one another , and execpts each others beliefs ! and if bothers a few who make it their point to try to change this system ! Now Thats a waste of Money and Energy over something that we have no Control Over ~

To start with, you need to get your facts straight. A lot of them are WAY off.

>Since we can鈥檛 pray to God in public.

WRONG. You can pray to God in public. The one thing you cannot do is typically have a prayer at a Government function, although there are even some exceptions to this. What exactly are you referring to? Children can pray in public schools, they can even have prayer and Bible study groups before and after class. The right to have prayer groups in the workplace is also protected. There is a prayer at the start of every NASCAR race. Churches can hold meetings in public spaces that are rented out to other groups. Where exactly can't YOU pray in public?

>Since we can鈥檛 trust in God

There is nothing the government can do to stop you from trusting in God, and there is certainly nothing they are doing. Again, way off base.

>since we cannot post his Commandments in government >buildings

You are at least partially right here, but remember in the last 2 10 commandments display cases, one WAS allowed. So, this is at least a distortion.

As for closing the government for religious holidays, there are some free exercise issues that revolve around that. There would probably be some serious practical issued involved in keeping the government open. Also, how is it cheaper to have the government open for another day? It is actually cheaper to have it closed.

Want some case law? I will be more than happy to get them for you, if you seriously want to look into it. Even better, I can point you toward some books if you like.

Have you ever studied history to see what happens when you put "Christian" churches and governments together? Heretics get burned, drowned, hung, and imprisoned for life. Put your faith in God, not in government. Civil religion is always inferior to the real thing.

People who support your position should ask for what you really want, culture dominance. If you are anything less than culture dominant, you feel you are being persecuted.

now we're getting somewhere. i agree.

i would appreciate it if i could get my mail on sunday's and if i could go to the bank on christmas day.

and since i see the possibility of them taking "in god we trust" out of the pledge of allegience someday in the distant/not-so-distant future, i think they could deliver my mail to me on easter.

Mr. Trask, when I read your questions I pick up on a general theme. I think you're very concerned about fairness, justice, consistency, and so on.

Your heart is in the right place, but you have to account and allow for six billion people on Earth all with different ideas and levels of evolution. There are an infinite number of contradictions and ironies that we all have to accept.

I understand what you're saying, "If we can't pledge allegiance under God then why have Christmas off?" You're right and completely logical. But, it takes time for bills to pass congress and it takes people and pressure to do it. You could be the person spear-heading the effort if you like.

Which brings me to my next point. You're asking a lot of WHY questions. I was taught to avoid WHY questions because they absolutely stop you dead in your tracks. WHY questions are circular and misery-causing. Rather, HOW questions are more powerful and purposeful. The minute you ask HOW the brain starts ticking off solutions.

For instance, you could say, "I noticed that we can't use the word God anymore, so I would like to ask HOW we can get banks and post offices to work on Christmas?" Bingo! You're writing a letter to a Maine senator. Bango! You're doing a speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Bongo! You're on Larry King Live stating your case!

If you ask that question, you'll get a tremendous amount of respect. People will say you're intelligent. People will help you.

Good luck man!

We need to get rid of the white house because it is designed after Greek temples to the gods. Also should remove the capital as it designed after religious domes and mosques. Knock down the obelisk washington monument because it is an Egypitian symbol.

If we are going to remove the 10 commandments from courthouses and so forth we need to remove all things from a religous nature.

The problem is when a government begins removing such things it no longer has a connection to its people and origin. It no longer becomes a government of the people but a government away from the people.