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by rufus_foreman 957 days ago
>> The First Amendment says that religion and government should remain separate

That's not what it says.

The US can't officially be Catholic. Nor can it officially be Protestant. That's what the first amendment says.

2 comments

Well, I am not a american, but as far as I understand it, it does say it.

"The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that: regulate an establishment of religion; prohibit the free exercise of religion;"

Any incorporation of religious organisations into the state fabric, would be an "establishment of religion". So of course open religious people can be part of the government. But the government may have no favourite religion it subsidizes, teaches in schools etc. or prefers in any way.

In practice, the Supreme Court has intepreted the First Amendment as implying full separation of church and state; for instance, school prayer is forbidden [0], even if it's voluntary and non-denominational.

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_prayer_in_the_United_...