Kristin Terheqes, "Pro-Life Illustrator", recently published the following picture on Facebook:
As one might expect, the picture generated a few responses, including the following:
"Misses the point completely. Whether the nativity scene is offensive is behind the point - in the US, governments granting public space for religious displays is a violation of the first amendment..."To which I replied,
No, SCOTUS missed the point entirely. This is exactly what happens when something is lifted out of its context and made to say something it was never intended to communicate. I offer the following excerpt from Thomas Jefferson's reply to the Danbury Baptists, from which the now-infamous quote originates - with one major exception: I have put it back into its original context, in which Thomas Jefferson explains the true nature of the "wall of separation."
'Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" thus building a wall of eternal separation between Church & State. Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the executive authorised only to execute their acts...' (bolding added).
The "wall of eternal separation" prevents Congress from passing any legislation interfering with religious practices, and the president, who is only authorized by the Constitution to execute acts passed by the legislature, is powerless to execute any law of his own initiative that would have the effect of infringing the right to - and free exercise thereof - religion guaranteed in the first amendment of the constitution.
As an example, THE ABORTIFACIENT MANDATE ISSUED EXCLUSIVELY ON "PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY" IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACCORDING TO THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED BY PRES. THOMAS JEFFERSON, MAIN AUTHOR OF BOTH THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
