Separation Of Church And State- By Benny Bierbaum Outline A.

Separation of Church and State- by Benny Bierbaum Outline A. Introduction 1. “The United States of America is a Christian Nation” People want their religious values to be in the government and taught in schools. 2. History: Pilgrims for religious freedom from Gov.- Immigrant groups after Civil War- Wanted by the religious because they couldn't agree in the first place. 3. The United States of America should not have any laws respecting a religious body and it should not be taught in schools 4. Which religion should we teach? Not everyone is Christian. If Christianity, whose version? Catholic, Protestant, etc? Which verses would form our laws and foreign policies? B. Explanation 1. If I was in charge of choosing what to teach in schools, whose religion and what verses would I teach? Shellfish are abominations? Stone your unruly children? Kill those who work on the Sabbath? Kill the Infidels? 2. “Freedom of Religion” also means “Freedom from religion”- 1st Amendment to U.S. Constitution- Treaty of Tripoli- Quotes from Founding Fathers 3. I don't want people telling me what to think, and America is more than just a Christian nation. It is a Jewish nation, a Muslim, Buddhist

and Non-Believing nation. C. Refutation 1. “Christian Values need equal time in classrooms,” or “America was founded on Christian values.” 2. Treaty of Tripoli: “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion...” - Benjamin Franklin: “Lighthouses are more helpful than Churches.” - Thomas Jefferson: “Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.” - First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” D. Digression 1. The Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were “wicked places,” and let's just say what happened in Gomorrah, stayed in Gomorrah. God found out about this, so he sent two Angels to investigate. The Angels went to the one Godly man in town named Lot. And the townspeople tried to rape them. Not wanting his hometown to get the reputation of the kind of place that would rape Angels, Lot offered his own daughters to rape. He was the good guy in the story. If I ever had to swear an oath where I promise to be moral and truthful, why would I want to put my hand on a Bible? E. Conclusion 1. People don't want to be told what to do, and if any one religion were

to be placed in Government policy, every person who doesn't agree with those views (and they have a right to under the Constitution) would protest. 2. It is in the Constitution: Government doesn't respect any body of religion. The Treaty of Tripoli confirms this. The Founding Fathers Confirm This. Even if one religion were chosen to be the basis of Government, which sect of that religion? 3. You wouldn't like it being told what to think, would you? 4. Everyone reserves the right to think for themselves and choose whatever they want to believe. Don't let the government choose for you.