Well for starters the phrase “separation of Church and state” comes from a private letter from President-elect Jefferson to a group of Baptist ministers who endorsed him just prior to his election. This phrase #1 does not appear in the U.S. Constitution and secondly was thanking religous leaders for persuading their congregation to vote for Jefferson. This phrase is repeatedly used to attack Conservative Christian thinking, making Christian beliefs illegitimate in our country and placing people of good conscience into confusion.
No one would suggest that we question the conscience or motives of an atheist. No one questions the integrity of the radical enviromentalists who hate men in the name of nature. Yet, one stands up says abortion is wrong and oh by the way goes to Church on Sunday, somehow their belief becomes less. The seperation crowd however has no trouble when religous leaders are espousing their points of view.Many predominantly African-American churches have candidates speak on the pulpit, Kerry, Gore and Clinton all have done it in running for President. Many Jewish congregations speak on voting. IF we believe God created the universe and that we were given stewardship( Genesis) and that we have an obligation to evangelize( in this case in thhe way we as a nation live, not smacking people over the heads with Bibles) than we are obligated to choose candidates who best espouse our views as formed in religous beliefs.