Only Congress has the power to establish a religion and they are restricted from doing so. A prayer in school does not establish a religion, and a manger scene on public property does not establish a religion. People saying the Lord Jesus Christ's name does not establish a religion. Using God in the Pledge of Allegiance does not establish a Religion. Congress passing a law that says we all have to go to the Glory Bound Baptist Church every Sunday establishes a religion.
Now, Congress is also forbidden from prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Hence, the law of the land says you can not tell me that I can not put a manger scene or the Ten Commandments up. You can not tell me I can not pray. You can not tell me I can not say God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Also, you have the freedom not to say it. That is fine, but I also have the freedom to say this:
Socialist/Communist wish to remove God from public view so you and I will begin to forget about God. Why do they want you to forget about God? Well, I am an American. I pray to my God and we handle my problems. I do not pray to my Government. Once people have forgotten how to pray to their God for help, they will begin to pray to the Government for help. From the cradle to the grave.
You and I were given God Given Rights (Inalienable Rights). No man or Government is allowed to take them away. IF you don't want to pledge to laws that are given to you by God then that is your choice. Just remember that man and/or Governments can give and take your rights away. It is imperative that we keep God in public view.
“Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink.”
P.J.O’Rourke
Would it bother you if Allah were inserted in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Would you have a problem pledging your allegiance to a country under Allah?
sums it up beautifully
They are restricted, yes. But the power to establish a religion was not removed from the states -- states were free to recognize their own church, and some did.
For example, Congregationalism remained the official state religion of Connecticut until 1818 and of Massachusetts until 1833.
A component many seem to forget. There is no question that this "dis-establishment clause" is just as important as the (fictitious) "wall of separation between church and state." Yet in instance after instance, the government DOES prohibit the free exercise of religion, by forbidding its practice anywhere in public. Since the practice of religion is, by definition, not an exclusively private experience, restricting its practice in public is tantamount to a prohibition of part -- if not all -- of it.
Eventually -- hopefully before it's too late -- someone in the legal profession is going to step up and force the ACLU and other god-haters out of business. Barring that, folks who choose to practice their religion had better be prepared to defend that right in the streets.