Church and State

Quiz Time! Where does the phrase "Separation of Church and State" come from?
A) The Constitution
B) The Declaration of Independence
C) The Mayflower Compact
D) None of the above

And the answer is....D! So, if the phrase "Separation of church and state" doesn't come from any of our founding documents, where does it come from?
Actually, the phrase comes from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. Here is the link to the full article, if you wish to read it, but the relevant text is provided below.

"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."  

"MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXCERCISE THEREOF" Jefferson said, and yet we never hear that part of the letter (Which, by the way, is in the Constitution (First Amendment)

We hear this phrase "Separation of church and state" tossed around by the courts constantly as if it were some bedrock of American principle, when in fact, it was part of a personal letter to a specific group of people, as part of a larger context. The founders never intended the state to limit the church, unless the church was harming people. Evidence:

Exhibit A) George Washington, speaking to the Indians: 

"You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion fo Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention" (Emphasis added)

Exhibit B) George Mason, "The Father of the Bill of Rights"

"All men have an equal, natural, and unalienable right to the free excercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience, and that no particular sect or society of Christians ought to be favored or established by law in preference to to others"

Exhibit C) Thomas Jefferson- 

"I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrimes, discipline, or excercises."  (Emphasis mine)

I could go on for volumes. David Barton, in "Original Intent" (From which I stole the all the quotes in this post) actually did go on... for over 600 pages. If you read that book, it is quite clear that if the Founding Fathers had had any concept what Jefferson's letter would be turned into, they might well have burned it.