Whilst it is impossible to separate the faith of a person from what he/she does in daily life, and whilst many civil laws are based on religious tenets e.g. no murder or stealing (Ten Commandments) many people believe it is important to keep the institutional side religion and state separate for a number of reasons:
1) To ensure that everyone has the freedom to practise a religion (or not); this right was not respected in most Communist nations.
2) To ensure that people do not have to follow any particular religion; this right was something that some European monarchs e.g. Henry VIII, did not respect.
3) To ensure that government is not unduly influenced by any particular religion which would result in people of other religions suffering discrimination e.g. it is against the law in Saudi Arabia for a Muslim to become a Christian.
Some people argue against the separation of religion and state, saying that:
1) Without the influence of religion, the state loses any sense of morality.
2) Many civil laws are based on religious laws.
3) Civil law should always reflect, and be subordinate to, divine law.
Most Christian denominations support the practice of keeping state and religion institutionally separate. However, those such as Catholicism and Anglicanism believe that they have the duty to speak out on matters they consider to be of great importance such as Immigration, justice and abortion.
no
To guarantee freedom of and from religion.
France does not have an official religion. France is a secular state. In fact, the French government recognizes NO religion, at it has the policy of total laicity, which means that religion is completely separate from the state.
It means that religion is separate from politics and goverment.
People should have the freedom to pick their own religion and not be forced to be what ever religion is mandated by the government.
Very important. Without the freedom of religion there would be state religion.
It really does not. The 1st Amendment says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". It does not separate Church and State (although many people seem to think it does). It merely says that Congress may not establish a religion, or keep you from exercising your religion.
Anabaptist. It was during the reformation.
Secularism A Idea That Goverment Should Be Separate From Religion.
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, and in favour of Protestantism as the state religion.
Yes, the U.S. government mostly follows the constitution about religion. Church and state are separate, but God is still mentioned on money and in the Pledge of Allegiance.
A non-secular state is one that does not separate government activities and institutions from religious institutions. It implies that religion plays a significant role in the governance and policies of the state.