If you read the Declaration of Independance, the preamble to the Constitution, even the National Anthem (see 4th Stanza) --- the connection with belief in God is undeniable. At the time, 98% of the Founding Fathers were Christian, 1.2% were Jewish, 0.8 "something else".
Go to:
http://www.nps.gov/thje/memorial/inscript.htm
Thomas Jefferson, hailed as the "founder of SEPARATION of CHURCH and STATE", is exposed on his memorial by the inscriptions of his words. He was NOT an advocate of "separation", evidence by this inscription:
"Almighty God hath created the mind free
All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens
are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion
No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively."
Understand that "religion" in that time, was synonymous with "Christian".
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever"
"Everson vs Board of Education", 1947, the first appearnace of the idea of "Separation of Church and State". Instead of INTERPRETING the Constitution,
the court CREATED law from SCRATCH. Reversing 300-400 years of American history.
The "One Code of Morality" is the Bible. And it is NOT as "subject to interpretation" as many contend. Jefferson, in his capacity of Superintendent DC schools, installed the Bible as curriculum.
We have violated the ideals of Thomas Jefferson, and reversed our history.
In 1963 prayer was vanished from public schools. A child HEARING a prayer does NOT constitute "Congress-established-religion"; but banning prayer does "prohibit the free excercise thereof". TV talk show host Dennis Praguer said: "I am not a Christian; but exposing kids to the IDEA of there being a God, forces them to consider responsibility to something other than THEMSELVES. Isn't that what our kids are lacking nowadays?"
Since prayer was removed, a documentable sharp increase occurred in teenaged crimes, pregnancy, suicide and drug use. Absent God,
all tthat remains is anarchy --- self.
Christian morality boils down to "love thy neighbor as thyself." The world would be a much better place if all would espouse this morality, IMHO.
Very good. Yet there must be boundaries
even for things considered "victimless situations". What if we established homosexual marriage? Are you willing to therefore IMPRISON someone
for merely reading aloud (even in church) parts of the Bible? Are you? How about prostitution? Drug use? Shouldn't we be free to do WHAT WE WANT? The answer, is "no". Law exist for the common good. Seatbelts are required to protect the negligent, AND the rest of us who pay for injureds' medical bills when THEY can't pay. "YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE MORALITY" ie easily answered with, "name ONE law that is not someone's morality; moraltiy is the purpose of law."