Christine O'Donnell on 1st Amendment: Where Is 'Separation of Church and State'?

Christine O'Donnell was right. I would add that while the Amendment prohibits Congress from establishing a national religion and its free exercise (of religion) this prohibition doesn't extend to the States and the people of the different States. I would have liked if she had won the election. Without new faces, new people,who honor only the will of their own constituents nothing much will change here. The USA is just a Republic on paper. Basically, politicians tell people more or less:" I have an agenda, this is it, vote for me and if elected this is what I'll be doing". No, in a Republic it doesn't work like this. People who want to serve should say:" Hey, my name is such and such I would like to serve your needs as your representative in government (whatever office),I already know what you are looking for and look forward to know more from you and what you want me to do,which laws you want me to try to pass or repeal and other issues which concern you. Thanks". Right now, politics is a fraud against the people. Please, study the real meaning of the U.S. Constitution.

The specific words 'Separation of Church and State" are not in the First Amendment. That is an interesting observation, I agree! But that is not what O'Donnell said in the debate. She said she was not aware of the CONCEPT being mentioned anywhere in the Constitution, which as her opponent says, it clearly is, in the first amendment. If it weren't, I could be thrown out of a public school for refusing to be brainwashed about creationism, I could be subjected to displays of Christianity on public fire stations, court houses, and other public places funded by my tax dollars, and I could be discriminated against by refusing to be a Christian. All of which is contrary to the freedom of religion.

why the laughter when she asked where does the constituition mention separation of church and state? because it doesnt! its very clear to me that the first amendment was written to keep govt out of our religious affairs, not to keep religion out of state affairs!! Thank the founders for including that we should have "free exercise" of our religions....which is what she is doing. and because of freedom of speech, you all have the right to hate on her for it! :)

The Constitution of the United States describes the functions granted by the People to the federal part of the governing apparatus of the United States [Federal, State and Local agencies]. The U. S. Congress is the ONLY law-making body for federal law. The first amendment to the Constitution prohibits the congress from making any law “ . . . respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The sole purpose of this section of the first amendment is to protect the individual right to practice a religion. The correct meaning of the phrase “The separation of Church and State” [appearing no-where in the Constitution] is that the state is not allowed to infringe on the individual in this respect! Thus, no part of the federal government (including judges of federal courts) nor any derivative agent such as federally-funded educational institutions, have any jurisdiction over the exercise of religion - - there is no authorization for any private or state entity to infringe, control, subvert, restrict or in any way inhibit the FREE* exercise of religion at any place or at any time! “FREE:” Uncoerced, chosen, unfettered, voluntary, unrestrained, unbounded, independent, autonomous, sovereign. drsoar@aol.com

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." - Then how is the government able to prohibit any type of prayer in public schools?

evolution is a religion, evolution is a belief that God did not create the universe and trys to explain mankinds existance and that therefore makes it a religion, and teaching evolution as an absolute without stating the possibility of there being a God is forcing a religion upon school children, i am so happy i do not live in delaware. you liberals are REALLY off your rocker with your sadistaic views on life and the world, and how in the world did you ever get reproductive rights out of abortion ? no one says your couldnt screw, some people just think that a fetus is a living being, so at least be honest about what the debate is, im do not agree with the religous right but liberals are REALLY a mess ........

O'Donnell is right. The words, "separation of church and state" don't appear in the constitution (I am sure this will be difficult for the smug law students who were in attendance to accept). The first amendment was created to be sure all were able to worship according to their own ways. Believe me, the government back then relied on religion to keep a vast and wild land under control. Things would work a whole lot better today if more people felt they were accountable to God. Now we have a society who wants to know what their "rights" are under the law, rather than what their obligations are to God and the world. I think we were a better people when we believed in God.

The first amendment is meant to assure that everyone have the freedom to choose the religion of their preference without any interference from government. It did not intend for our nation and government to be godless. The first amendment guarantee that the United States will not have an official State religion like the Church of England. All Americans have the right believe in God in the way that suit them without causing any harm to anyone.

The phrase was quoted by the United States Supreme Court first in 1878, and then in a series of cases starting in 1947. The phrase itself does not appear in the U.S. Constitution, although the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

There seemscto be a lot of anti 1st amendment people on this message board. The first official act of congress was to print bibles. Does that should like men who believed in the separation of church and state. They wrote it they should know what it means.