"In their seventies, with a friendship that had survived serious political conflicts, Adams and Jefferson could look back with satisfaction on what they both considered their greatest achievement – their role in establishing a secular government whose legislators would never be required, or permitted, to rule on the legality of theological views." (1)
Some Background
The United States is not unique because it is a democratic republic. The ancient Greeks were the first to experiment with democracy. What makes the United States unique is in its approach, separating religious practice from governance. Beginning with the paganism of the ancient Greeks, to the Pax Decorum of Roman paganism, or to western European autocracies pandering to Christian Rome in the middle ages, government had never been free of religion. The only substantial difference is in the number of gods – from many to one.
This all changed in 1786, when Virginia's Act of Establishing Religious Freedom was the first of its kind to end state sponsorship of religion – irrevocably separating the two. (2) The immediate reaction to the passage spread quickly throughout Europe, with translations appearing in France, Germany and elsewhere. In the States, the Act was condemned by the right wing that supported establishment – promising that God would damn and soon destroy America. (Sound familiar?) A weaker version of the Act was later incorporated into the Article 6, Section 3 of the US Constitution. (3) Many other state constitutions, like Wisconsin (4) copied the Act, nearly verbatim.
Because of the secular nature of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, it should be no surprise that the United States is an incredibly devout country. Recent polls show that belief in the supernatural and god ranks among the highest of industrial and information rich societies, as Europe quietly leaves god behind. Reasons for our country's religiosity is due in part to being colonized by religious dissidents and secular freethinkers, and the fact that the US has not established a particular Church – like the Anglican Church of England. A person is free to follow their religious or non-religious convictions in a variety of religious or non-religious experiences without governmental interference, creating a competitive market for adherents among a variety of religions.
Case Number 1
Currently, the South Carolina legislature plans to sell license plates that feature a cross and the statement "I Believe" in the design. Special plates like this must be requested at the behest of a particular group and law-makers can not decide to sell plates of religious meaning just because it can. Reverend Dr. Thomas A. Summers, states that this "arrogant action taken by the legislature is absolutely divisive, oppressive and is an affront to what true interfaith cooperation is all about," and has joined with Americans United for Church and State Separation and the ACLU to sue over this recent incursion of state interference into religion. (Source)
Case Number 2
This past April, the ACLU represented Shawn Miller, a street preacher who was arrested for disorderly conduct while preaching at an abandoned gas station near other street vendors. He spent a 109 days in jail, for as he put "I was preaching the word of God and not hurting anybody." Miller was promptly released. (Source 1) (Source 2)
In Conclusion
While it is true that the state many not endorse or promote a religion, it is also prohibited from interfering with your right to believe or practice your religion. There are exceptions of course, child abuse, neglect, incest, rape and murder which is religiously motivated are not excusable.
Secularity is not anti-god, nor is it anti-religious.
Secularity is the accommodation between government and religion. We live in society composed of many types of believers: Jews, Pagans, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Scientologists, and the many different types of Christianity. Not to mention non-believers, too.
It is inevitable that tensions between church and state will exist over the limits and boundaries of each, but it is vitally necessary that such a wall remains, unless we descend into something less than a democracy.
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References:
(1) Freethinkers - A History of American Secularism. Susan Jacoby.
(2) The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson.
(3) US Constitution. Article VI, Section 3.
(4) Wisconsin State Separation Clause. Article 1, Section 18.
(See also) First Amendment. Bill of Rights. US Constitution.