Church and State Separate

I am a strong supporter of the separation of church and state. I have no desire for the government to favor one form of faith over another. At the same time, I do not wish for a particular religious tradition, church, or denomination to determine the decisions and actions of government. Historically, bad things have happened when religions take over government. This is as true for Christianity as it is for other world religions. When a religion is given too much power, heads inevitably start to roll.

I also want government to be restricted in its power to regulate the expression of religion. Religious traditions should be free to speak out against injustice, oppression, and inequality. Government should be limited in its power to squelch such speech. Our society is stronger because there are many different voices sounding forth, keeping discussions alive, and requiring us all to think about what we believe and do. Religion should be one of those voices.

For me, the separation of church and state is all about balance. When one religious group takes over the state, then there is a dangerous imbalance. Likewise, when the state exercises too much control over religion, the balance shifts too far the other way. It is in the balance of state and church that we find the "sweet spot" where the excesses of both are held in check and the healthy contributions of both are allowed to make their best impact.