“Separation of Church and State: They Really Meant It!”

If July 4th and the Declaration of Independence represent the birth of our nation, then September 17th symbolizes when America moved into adulthood — when 39 hot, tired, sweaty men dressed in stockings signed their names to the Constitution in 1787.  During recent culture wars, the religious right has fought to change school curriculum to teach that America’s founding fathers were devout Christians who created America as a Christian nation, built on Christian principles.  But, according to several historians, it’s simply not true.  Many of the early patriots (and U.S. Presidents) were either Unitarians or deists who rejected the divinity of Jesus and the relevance of the Bible.  And that separation of church and state thing – they really meant it!