Separation of church and state

Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.

Query: Did the forefathers who drafted the US constitution warn about the dangers of state sanctioned religion? Can you provide a list of the warnings about religion in government?

The Founding Fathers were deeply concerned about the entanglement of religion and government, and they left behind a trail of warnings, principles, and legal safeguards to prevent state-sanctioned religion. Their views were shaped by centuries of religious conflict in Europe and the oppressive state churches many colonists had fled.

Constitutional Safeguards

First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This dual clause protects both freedom from government-imposed religion and freedom of personal religious practice.

Article VI: Prohibits religious tests for public office — a radical move at the time, ensuring that no one could be excluded from government based on faith.

Founders’ Warnings and Beliefs:

James Madison:

Warned that if Congress could define “general welfare,” it might “take the care of religion into their own hands” — appointing teachers, funding churches, and undermining limited government.
Championed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom alongside Jefferson, opposing religious taxes and state interference.

Thomas Jefferson:

Coined the phrase “wall of separation between Church & State” in a letter to the Danbury Baptists, assuring them that government would not interfere in religious matters.
Authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, declaring that no person should suffer for religious opinions.

Benjamin Franklin:

Believed that corruption would lead people to demand despotism, including religious control, if they became “incapable of any other” form of government.

John Adams:

Declared: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” While he valued religion’s moral influence, he opposed state endorsement of any particular faith.

George Washington:

In his Farewell Address, warned against the “baneful effects of the spirit of party” and the consolidation of power — including religious authority — in one branch of government

Philosophical Foundations:

Many founders were influenced by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, who argued that belief cannot be coerced and that religious liberty is a natural right.

They saw religious pluralism as essential to civic virtue and feared that state religion would lead to tyranny, division, and persecution.

My Input

Today’s MAGA Republican party lends vocal and legislative support for injecting Christianity into our government and embracing Christian nationalist rhetoric, which threatens to erode America’s secular rule of law and Jefferson’s “wall of separation between Church & State.”

There is a growing trend in the Trump administration (which is becoming increasingly authoritarian) to integrate Christianity with politics. Historically, Fascist governments have used religion to legitimize their rule, unify support, and suppress dissent.

With some help from Arty, here are some notable examples of how religion is infecting our politics:

Support for Declaring the U.S. a Christian Nation

According to a University of Maryland poll, 61% of Republicans support officially declaring the United States a Christian nation, even though a majority also acknowledged that doing so would violate the Constitution.
In the past, traditional conservative values celebrated religious liberty and pluralism, but with today’s MAGA-influenced Republican party, we’re seeing a shift towards a more exclusivist religious identity in politics.

Prominent Republican Figures Embracing Christian Nationalism and the idea of relying on the bible for public policy

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has openly called herself a “Christian nationalist” and stated that the GOP should embrace that identity.
Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado declared, “I’m tired of this separation of church and state junk,” and claimed, “the church is supposed to direct the government”.
Doug Mastriano, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, dismissed the separation of church and state as a “myth.”
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated publicly that his Christian faith informs everything he does, shaping his perspective and views on law, policy, and public service. In an interview on Fox News, Johnson said, “Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it — that’s my worldview”

Christian Nationalism in Policy and Education

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has promoted a Civics Literacy Excellence Initiative that reportedly teaches students that the Founders didn’t really believe in a strict separation of church and state.
In Louisiana, a new law mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, raising concerns about government endorsement of religious doctrine.
Oklahoma incorporates the Bible into public school lessons (so much for religious neutrality in education — at least in Oklahoma).

Religious Identity as Political Identity

A leaked recording of Justice Samuel Alito advocating a “return to godliness” has heightened concerns about religious conservatism influencing the Supreme Court’s decisions.
A slew of bills introduced by Republican lawmakers have prioritize religious values in areas like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and school prayer — often citing biblical principles as justification.
The Republican base, infected by MAGA influencers and believers are increasingly made up of evangelical Christians, with many viewing their religious identity as inseparable from their political beliefs.

If we lived in a completely homogeneous society where everyone believed in the same version of Christianity (the version that preaches taking care of the impoverished and suffering, turning the other cheek, and loving your neighbor), then the danger to individual rights, free thinkers, and democracy might feel overblown.

But what we’re seeing with the growing numbers of MAGA-Christians in America is what we’ve seen with the more violent offshoots of Islam and the ultra-orthodox strains of Judaism — that Religious views can be interpreted differently by different groups and individuals, and when people with a literal or militant view of a religion come into power, be it in Israel, Iran, or the United States, they tend to push their specific interpretation of scripture to justify policies and laws that strip rights from the marginalized or anyone who doesn’t conform to their religious views. That is precisely what Madison warned us of when he said that if Congress could define “general welfare,” it might “take the care of religion into their own hands” — appointing teachers, funding churches, and undermining limited government.

There is a deepening divide between MAGA-aligned Evangelical Christian leaders and traditional non-political Christian leaders, which is altering the politics in our country and reshaping the landscape of religious institutions and churches from sea to shining sea. With some help from Arty, here’s a breakdown of how their views differ—and how those differences are playing out.

Key Differences in Christian Worldview

Subject	MAGA Evangelical Leaders	Traditional Non-Political Christian Leaders
Role of Christianity in Government	Advocate for Christian nationalism; believe America was founded as a Christian nation and should reflect biblical values in law and policy	Support religious pluralism and separation of church and state; see faith as personal and communal, not political
Jesus’ Teachings	Emphasize moral absolutes, spiritual warfare, and cultural dominance (e.g., anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+ policies)	Focus on compassion, justice, and inclusion—especially for marginalized groups like immigrants, the poor, and LGBTQ+ individuals3
Political Engagement	Highly partisan, often aligning with Republican candidates and causes; some leaders openly support Donald Trump as a divinely chosen figure	Avoid partisan politics; prioritize community service, peacemaking, and dialogue across divides3
View of Opponents	Frame political and cultural opponents as enemies of God or threats to religious freedom2	Encourage empathy, bridge-building, and respectful disagreement—even with those outside the faith8

How This Division Is Manifesting

In Politics

Christian Nationalism Surge: MAGA leaders promote policies that elevate Christianity in public life, such as flying Christian flags on government property or restricting LGBTQ+ and racial justice symbols.
Partisan Loyalty: Many MAGA Evangelicals view Trump as a “warrior king” defending their values, even if his personal behavior contradicts traditional Christian ethics2.
Pushback from Traditional Christians: Leaders like Russell Moore and Jim Wallis have criticized this politicization, warning it distorts the gospel and undermines democracy10.

In Churches

Congregational Splits: Churches are fracturing over political allegiances. Some congregations have lost members due to COVID policies, racial justice sermons, or perceived political bias10.
Rise of “Refugee Christians”: Many believers are leaving MAGA-aligned churches in search of communities that prioritize spiritual growth over political ideology.
New Movements: Groups like Red Letter Christians and Evangelicals for Social Action are reclaiming Jesus’ teachings on justice and peace, distancing themselves from partisan culture wars.

The Bigger Picture

This Christian divide in America is not solely theological—it’s cultural, generational, and deeply emotional. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to the grievances from MAGA Evangelicals, bemoaning about being under siege in America’s changing landscape. At the same time, traditional Christians look to adhere to a faith that transcends politics. The tension is reshaping denominations, remaking evangelicalism, and challenging what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st century.

Weirdly, with all the goings on in the Evangelical church related to the state of politics in America, Trump himself is not religious (even when he embarrassingly pretends to be). Unlike the Supreme Leader in Iran and the Hasidic Rebbes in Israel, Trump is a different type of Mullah, one motivated by money and a quest for power and attention, rather than deeply held religious beliefs.

Donald Trump (let’s call him the Moola Mullah) would make abortion mandatory if he thought it would win him an election or put some extra coin in his pocket. That said, Trump (like other Fascist leaders) is taking full advantage of the divide in the Evangelical church, siding with extremists in that movement to legitimize his rule, unify support, and suppress dissent.

We’re seeing the cultural amalgamation (especially in the Bible Belt region of the US) of a specific brand of “MAGA-infected” Republicanism with MAGA-infected Christianity, which seems to be the dominant version of Evangelical faith (or at least the loudest), and that should scare the shit out of true Christians, non-Christians, and non-believers alike.

But when it comes to Trump policies flying in the face of Christian values, those loud, hardline Evangelicals stuff their Bibles in their belts and become as quiet as church mice.

In the face of family separations, mass deportations, and reduced refugee admissions that are terrorizing immigrant communities in America, ALL Evangelicals should be protesting loudly based on these bible passages:

Leviticus 19:34 “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” → This verse calls for equal treatment and love toward immigrants, reminding the Israelites of their own history as outsiders.
Deuteronomy 10:18–19 “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” → A direct command to care for and love immigrants, grounded in empathy and divine justice.
Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” → Jesus equates welcoming strangers with serving Him, making hospitality a spiritual imperative.
Exodus 22:21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” → A warning against oppression, rooted in shared experience.
Zechariah 7:10 “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.” → A broader call for justice and protection of vulnerable groups, including immigrants.

The meek might inherit the Earth, but they don’t run the show when religion and government become bedfellows. And so, in the face of Trump’s Gestapo tactics against immigrants, MAGA Evangelicals turn a blind eye, abandon the core principles of their faith, and become deaf as posts. Like all the cowards and traitors to the Christian faith in history, they know when to keep their mouths shut.

The majority of Muslims are peaceful.

We hear this whenever Muslim extremists go on a rampage.

And though I agree the majority of Muslims are peaceful, if the average Muslim had to choose between living with a peaceful atheist like me or a fanatical Islamist, I think they’d choose the latter, because with the latter they share a religion.

Religion holds people together, while also dividing us from one another.

It lumps people into like-minded groups, where each group believes their God, their beliefs, their scripture, and their golden ticket to the afterlife is the one and only. It fosters an “us versus them” mentality, and when religion controls the narrative of who we are, we lose sight of our shared humanity.

When infused with fanaticism, religion celebrates flying planes into buildings and forcing families from their bulldozed homes as righteous acts.

When we view people through the prism of religion, we don’t see them as individuals. Instead, we see Jews, Muslims, or Christians and the preconceived notions those labels have to us. Categorization leads to dehumanization and dehumanization softens up the conditions for war and hate.

Fanatical groups like Hamas, ISIS, al-Qaeda, MAGA Republicans, and the ultra-orthodox Jews living in the West Bank see religion and scripture as a final arbiter or cure-all to all their woes and view those who don’t adhere to their beliefs as “less than” themselves.

Religion doesn’t only affect the religious. For example, religious-borne fear affects the moral compass of the religiously-agnostic when it comes to the war in Gaza. The fear of religious extremism is why we give a wide berth to Israeli vengeance. Our fear of Hamas and what they represent runs so deep that we give the IDF leeway in terms of their tactics and rationalize civilian casualties.

Religious extremism never serves the greater good. Clearly, Gazans in Palestine would be better off if they could get out from under the thumb of Hamas.

I want Hamas to be swept into the dustbin of history.

But at what cost? I guess that’s the question.

At what cost?

Last week, I saw a video post on LinkedIn that showed ghastly footage of bloody Palestinian children writhing in pain on a hospital floor in Gaza. It was horrific and sickening (and has since been removed). Many of the comments to that post referenced Allah and retribution, which filled me with despair. Those comments reinforce my belief that humans are slaves to what they’re taught in churches, synagogues, and mosques.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that people find peace, comfort, and a sense of community in religion — I understand the positive aspects of religion.

But I also see the negative.

Religious people get agitated at atheists like me who rail against the dangers of religion. In contrast, we atheists get frustrated that religious people can’t seem to separate the bliss they achieve from religion individually from the negative shit that comes out of a religious group dynamic.

Freedom from religion – the right of a person to have no religion in their life, opens the door to humanistic identity.

I was raised a catholic. For years, growing up, I went to church and catechism every Sunday, where I was lectured to by priests and nuns. Thankfully, I lived in a country that supports freedom from religion and free thought — where, over time, I could compare (without fear of retribution) what the priest and nuns were telling me to what I saw and observed in the world and what I learned of my own volition. This led to a sense of self not based on religious dogma and doctrine but rather on my personal experience interacting with the world and the people in it.

If I had been born and raised in Iran or Iraq, my experience would have been radically different. I would have been forced to adhere to the religious rules of the state or suffer the consequences of disobedience.

As an atheist, I could walk the streets of Telavi freely without having to look over my shoulder in fear for my safety. I’m not sure I can say the same about walking streets controlled by Islamist fundamentalists – who, if I made an off-color remark about their prophet, would separate me from my head without batting an eye – and feel justified in doing so.

America’s greatest gift to its citizens is freedom from religion. But lately, I fear we’re in danger of losing that gift and becoming an authoritarian theocratic state ourselves.

Just look at the speech that Elise Stephanic gave when nominating Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House. That speech included multiple references to God and scripture. And Johnson himself has informed American’s the way to learn how he feels about any issue is to read the Bible. ‘That’s my worldview, that’s what I believe.‘

Since Mike Johnson’s nomination to the speakership, we’ve seen gross outward expressions of religiosity on the house floor – a clear slap in the face to the separation of church and state.

Imagine the outcry if a Muslim speaker or representative busted out a prayer rug on the house floor to pray.

The increase of religiosity in the Republican party should be a huge red flag to Americans who cherish living in a secular and pluralistic society.

The GOP’s embrace of Christianity as a national religion is a genuine threat to the American way of life.

I’m not naive. I know religion isn’t going anywhere, though I am heartened that among American adults, secular humanism and postmodernism are growing in influence in our culture.

Let’s judge religions by their ideas.

The notion that criticizing a religion is unacceptable because it might “offend people” is what allows dangerous movements within generally peaceful religions to spread and radicalize individuals.

We need to voice our objections loudly against any religion that promotes divisiveness, intolerance, or hate, because these are bad ideas for humanity.

I’m stepping down from my soap box now.

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Let’s Ask Arty About What the Founding Fathers Said About Religion in Government