In the first years of the 17th century, small numbers of English Puritans broke away from the Church of England. Seeking to escape the religious persecution of England, the Pilgrim English Separatists founded (1620) Plymouth Colony in New England. Most of these Separatists were farmers, poorly educated and without social or political standing. They came to this "New World" committing themselves to a life based on the Bible. The historic voyage began on Sept. 16, 1620, with about 102 passengers aboard the vessel, Mayflower.

Our forefathers were men of great vision and are legends in American History. Some of our forefathers are, John Alden, William Bradford, John Carver, Miles Standish, just to name a few.

The first New England winter lead many of the Pilgrims to their grave. After much sickness and disease they faced the struggles and overcame. The Colony grew yet later they would again have to fight for freedom in a war with England. At the time of war the order of the day was, "United we stand, divided we fall." In the words of Francis Scott Key, "… the bombs bursting in air, gave proof to the night that our flag was still there. Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave, for the land of the free and the home of the brave."

The first Continental Congress 1774, adopted the Declaration and Resolves, which was popularly termed, "The Bill Of Rights." The Bill of Rights were and are the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution. These amendments were designed to provide basic legal protection for individual rights.

The first colony State Bill Of Rights was the "Virginia Declaration of Rights," adopted as part of the states first constitution on June 12, 1776. This declaration served as the model for the "U.S." Bill Of Rights. Though there were many to argue over these rights, it was the first Congress under the New Constitution in which James Madison drafted the Amendment that became the U.S. Bill Of Rights.

Introduced by Madison to the House Of Representatives on June 8, 1789, the Bill Of Rights was ratified after substantive change on September 25, 1789, having the ten states needed to pass the Bill. The last state to ratify the U.S. Bill Of Rights was Virginia on December 15, 1791.

The first amendment of the Bill Of Rights in the U.S. Constitution prohibits congress from making any law that abridge or restrict freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or the right to assemble peaceably or petition the government for redress of grievances.

The number of cases presented to the court system through the years clearly indicates the differences and difficulties in deciphering or interpreting the first amendment. Such is the case of "The Separation of Church and State." The Separation of Church and State is not a new idea in the past hundred years of so. The roots of such ideas date back to the time of Jesus, when He clearly showed that there was a difference between government and religion. Mark 12-17, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's." This shows an early distinction between the secular and the spiritual.

During the period of communist rule in Eastern Europe, governments also separated church and state. However unlike the U.S. separation which allows a free choice of religion, the states in Eastern Europe totally discouraged the practice of any religion whatsoever.

In the U.S. Separation of Church and State, the State sort to remain neutral in religious matters, as the State desired to avoid wars and persecution over religion. In this the State would not recognize any one religion. Yet, each person could be a full member of civil society whether of not they belonged to any religious fraction.

Despite the position of the State, through the years large areas of disputes exists and litigation is constantly being challenged over and over with such issues as: assistance to religious sponsored schools, devotional practices in public schools, etc. Although the litigation of "Church and State" are many, some cases such as Engel V Vitale, 1962, has greatly disrupted the school system. Due to the 1962, litigation, it was ruled by the court system that; public schools could observe a moment of silence in which children may pray if they wish, but schools could not conduct devotional exercises, compose prayer, read the Bible or conduct religious instruction, as was done in the past.

NOTE: In the rest of this chapter the word "man" represents the State.

So in review and brevity the Separation of Church and State has been defined through the Bill Of Rights, interpreted through cases which have been presented to the court system since the eighteenth century.

I believe that due to harassment of minority religious orders and the more established orders, the court system was left with the task of solving the difference between them. Through out the years, the courts have been faced with case after case of religious issues. Inundated with the rivalry of different religious fractions who stand opposed, the court endeavored to more clearly define the measure in the first amendment of the Bill Of Rights in the U.S. Constitution.

In the 1960's, I recall John F. Kennedy standing before a crowd saying, "I am for the Separation of Church and State." It was after this statement in another religious squabble, the court amended the original Bill Of Rights. So that the first amendment of the Bill Of Rights, which said the State would not recognize any religious establishment, was amended or redefined by the court to mean; "The Church was religious and the State was secular."

The dictionary says that secular means; worldly, not of the Church. So it is true, for Scripture tells us that there is a difference between God and this world. So if we can understand the meaning of the word secular, we are in all actuality saying, that the State is run by men and not by God. In this men place themselves above God, so that the Separation of Church and State has become a document divorcing God. This is far from what our ancestors (who came to this new land) intended. So again, the Bill Of Rights says, the State will not recognize any one particular religious establishment. The court redefining this measure in the Bill of Rights says that the reason the State will not recognize any religious establishment is because, the Church is religious and the State is not!

In another case before the court, in an attempt to remove prayer from the school system, the religious stated that "prayer and bible reading promoted certain morals and student discipline." None the less, as we can see today, prayer has been removed from the schools, because the court decided, "the Church is religious and the State is not!" The result of this decision has indeed resulted in a lack of morals and student discipline. Some good examples of this are the violence, drugs, and shootings in our school systems. In this amendment, handed down by the court system, man creates division saying, the Church is but the State is not. In this man has created division between himself and God.

So as man feels he is now above God, having brought about division, the end result of the Separation of Church and State is; lack of morals and discipline! This has brought about what I call, "The Demoralized Plague," not only in our schools system, but throughout the whole land. A secular society now rules! So it is now man who must save man. In this society having removed God, man's secular rule dictates that; he is the product of a natural process called, "evolution". Evolution is the act of a development of an organic species. In layman terms evolution suggests that: man has evolved into the creature he is today, and was not created by God!

The Bible tells us in Genesis that : "Man was created in God's image." Yet, the secular evolutionists say; 'Man has evolved from an organic species.' So in this, God does not exist. So then, it is therefore man who is responsible for man's development. In this man has made himself, God, with the Separation of Church and State.

The "Demoralize Plague" brought about by the "Separation of Church and State" has caused the "Age of the Self." Without any regard of the planet earth and human life, man has become a respecter of no one, or no thing, except himself. In the Age of The Self, man has denounced God and made an image of himself and declared, "This is my God." In this, man has raped the earth of her balance, so that she has become unstable because she has been forced to drink of the cup of abomination, given her by man. Man continues playing God without regard of the very existence of his survival, which is God. In this, man has swallowed up the inheritance of his children leaving the world undone where children are without hope.

September 11 is a tragedy in magnitude proportions we will never forget. Oddly, some good came out of the ashes of 9-11. September 11 united us, something we as a nation need desperately. We should learn the lesson from the past war of our forefathers in that "united we stand, divided we fall." Standing united brings unity. Unity is the only way we can fight against others who seek to bring us to ruin.

There are a number of powerful and wealthy organizations of atheists who are making great gain removing religion from our society all together. A while back the American Anthem was attacked creating yet more division in a country that so badly needs to stand united. "…One Nation under God…" means we stand united but these atheists groups diligently oppose us seeking to further remove God from our Nation. Their success continues the downward spiral of bringing about the Demoralized Plague.

If these people who never stop fussing choose to remove God from their lives, this is their right. By the same token, we who choose God have the right to worship and be a member of civil society. These rights are the foundation of the Bill or Rights, The Constitution and The Amendments.

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