Separation of Church and State—Forever

The more I travel and hear about life in other countries, the more I believe that, thanks to our Constitution, I live in the best country in the world. I know it’s not perfect, and I recognize we have major issues (guns, mass shootings, power-based policing, the wealth gap, and Project 2025, to name a few), but I don’t want to move to any other country. I want to keep working creatively to resolve those issues.

Currently, during the Trump administration, I have even more doubts, but history has demonstrated that our country periodically faces times when we must fight both figuratively and literally to defend our fragile democracy.

Protecting our beautiful Constitution is worth the effort. Although it faces serious challenges today, I believe that free speech is what makes a country a true democracy. We must do everything we can to defend that right, including, for example, allowing people to burn our flag if they choose to do so.

Maybe it’s because I have been involved with religion my entire life, but I believe that a true democracy must have a separation between church and state. The Revolutionary War was not only about removing kings but also about eliminating the Church of England or any religion from holding power over politics. In a democratic society, no religion can have any role in our government.

Because the Episcopal Church split from the Anglican Communion after the Revolutionary War, its early history highlights that separation. When the colonies defeated the British, all Anglican clergy had to either sever ties with the Church of England or return to England. Many chose to return.

In the Church of England, the king or queen acts as the “pope,” or the figure of authority, so its clergy must pledge loyalty to the monarch rather than to Jesus, which presents a serious dilemma for me. As a follower, I believe my life should be guided by the teachings of Jesus, not by royalty.

However, because I believe in the complete separation of church and state, I also believe I must pledge allegiance to the state to ensure this separation is upheld. That’s why I am a veteran.

In a truly democratic country, people should have the right to choose what they want to believe or not believe, to be religious or not, and to worship or criticize a religion without any interference from the government.

MAGA’s loyalty to Project 2025 signals the end of democracy and the start of a terrible dictatorship and theocracy, all in the name of a Jesus its proponents made up and a God they invented. Right now—with the do-nothing Congress, a Supreme Court that favors a king and a theocracy, and this weak, ineffective, leaderless Democratic Party, along with big businesses, the media, educational institutions, the military, law groups, and the many citizens who are caving in to the dictator—unless we stage huge protests and likely use violence, I feel little hope for sustaining our democracy.

Some might see this blog post as using scare tactics, but I challenge anyone to tell me where I am wrong.

PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness

Bil

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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.

Original photo by Daniel Tseng on Unsplash