[.30Carbine]

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."
Thomas Jefferson

[gdani]

Ya know, it doesn't take a whole lot of skill or reasoning to cut & paste quotes.

The reality is that, at that time -- just like now -- there were politicians on all sides:

1) who were either strict separationists, were lukewarm either way or who feared that religious liberty would not be adequately protected.

2) who delighted in saying what their constituents wanted to hear because their primary focus was on retaining power.

3) who said one thing but did quite another with respect to their public policies and/or their private lives.

Sorry -- but cutting & pasting quotes doesn't quite grasp any of those gray areas. But I'm sure someone will come along soon who's interested in getting into a cut & paste quote war.