If you haven't read parts 1 & 2 check them out here
Part 1
@psg3196/observations-on-sex-and-religion-religion-and-america-part-1
Part 2
@psg3196/observations-on-sex-and-religion-religion-and-america-part-2
In the last part we finished it by posting the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson. It would later get passed in Virginia with the help of James Madison. We'll pick it up from there
Originally I was going to just quote a few parts of it but I realized it really wasn't that long of a document and I couldn't decide which part I wanted to quote. Apparently when Thomas Jefferson wrote he was all thriller and no filler. I also want to point out that none of these people were anti-religion. They were actually religious people. James Madison believed that if people were forced to give money to the church that they would eventually resent the church for it. He felt that people should only give willingly and this would cast the church in a better light. As you will see here in a moment the idea of the separation of church and state is not to punish or belittle churches. In fact it was done to protect them. The did not want some nationalized church coming in and telling you how you should and shoul not worship. They didn't want there to be one viewpoint and you'd be taxed or punished in some way if you disagreed. This is what it meant to them. Now let's look at the First Amendment and get Thomas Jefferson's opinion on it.
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 for a redress of grievances.
-First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment would later be referenced in 1802 in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists Association. Here is the text of that letter.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State
-Letter to Danbury Baptist Association
What Jefferson is saying here is to assure the members of the association that no nationalized church will be created. This would mean that they would be free to worship as they saw fit. The belief in separation of church and state was not their own. It was most likely influenced by english philosopher John Locke. Locke is also credited with formulating the ideas of the separation of powers(legislative, executive, and judicial). He believed in the separation of church and state because you can't regulate conscience. Your beliefs and thoughts are your own you can't hand over control of those to a government.
This sentiment is not only present in our agreements with other countries. The best example of that would be the Treaty of Tripoli. The treaty itself dealt with shipping rights in the mediterranean sea and protecting them from the barbury pirates. Article 11 is the relevant one for our subject:
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen (Muslims); and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan (Mohammedan) nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
-Article 11 Treaty of Tripoli
signed in Tripoli on November 4, 1796
There is some debate on if this english translation matched the original text which was written in arabic. However this seems to be a moot point as this version is the one that was read allowed before Congress. Everyone got their own personal copy to read. It was ratified on June 7, 1797. This is the version in which congress agreed. The full treaty was printed in the Philadephia Gazette and a couple other papers with not much blowback at all. In all fairness I wonder how many people actually read it. Just looking at both sides here. The Secretary of War claimed he had a problem with it at the time but then again with anything someone is going to have a problem with it. Now some would argue that the treaty was only worded this way because at the time muslims were still skittish from the crusades. This is of course possible but at this point impossible to prove. We only know what was in print.
I want to summarize a little bit to kind of wind this part down and give my take on it. This mainly consisted of a bunch of historical info but I feel it is foundational for other things. So the United States was not founded as a christian nation. What does that mean to you? Well in truth it doesn't mean anything. People are who they are regardless of the way something was founded 200 years ago. It's good to have that knowledge but as far as applying something to your life that bit of information doesn't matter that much. We got a separation of church and state that was designed to protect churches from the government. Freedom of religion is a cornerstone of our country. So worship as you please. At the same time understand that we live in a country with varying cultures and they need to be able to worship as they please as well, so let's all try to get along and respect each other.
This will finish off the commentary on Religion and America. I'll be starting a new one Monday. Don't forget to upvote! Thanks