SALON: CHURCH + STATE

Every time Congress meets, a designated person opens with a prayer to God. This is an odd practice for a nation which prides itself on the separation of church and state. Although the phrase “separation of Church and State” is often used in reference to the Constitution, those exact words do not appear in the Constitution itself. The actual clause in the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Although saying a prayer before a congressional meeting is far from making laws pertaining to religion, there is no denying that there is an influence of religion on the values of the United States. The question is, are there consequences of this influence? Should we assume that all Americans have some sort of religious beliefs? The increase in atheism poses a problem which begs the question: If we were to eliminate religious-based values, where would we draw our morals? In this Salon, we will discuss the benefits and downfalls of infusing religion into government and politics, and whether new generations will change how the United States sees religion.