The Separation of Church and State is derived from the First Amendment of the Constitution, which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ."This provides a dual protection - both for individuals who may not share the same religious beliefs as their legislators, and for religious establishments, which may embrace beliefs that fall in contradiction to law (does not extend to beliefs that may cause harm to others).The suggestion that we include a limited definition of marriage in the constitution, ongoing efforts to limit stem cell research, and the heated controversy over abortion rights are all cu...

The Separation of Church and State is derived from the First Amendment of the Constitution, which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ."

This provides a dual protection - both for individuals who may not share the same religious beliefs as their legislators, and for religious establishments, which may embrace beliefs that fall in contradiction to law (does not extend to beliefs that may cause harm to others).

The suggestion that we include a limited definition of marriage in the constitution, ongoing efforts to limit stem cell research, and the heated controversy over abortion rights are all current examples of crossover between religious interests or beliefs and state affairs.

While every individual has a right to speak out for what they believe in, any attempt to enforce personal religious convictions or interests through legislation will be unwelcome to those citizens who hold opposing views. "My freedom ends where yours begins," and vice versa.

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