I Want to Believe: Licensing Religion in South Carolina

Thanks for a well thought out story.  My thing here is that our Founding Fathers view on establishing Religion is no where close to what is perpetrated in the USA today.  One only needs to read Story 1811 who explains the rational for the first Amendment.  He states that the real issue was that one religion should not get advantage over another.  Nor should it create a state religion.  It further stated in his work that Christianity was to be encouraged as it helped in civil discourse among its inhabitants.  I suppose today since many faiths are represented they should be encouraged as well as Faithful folks seem to obey laws and have deep concern for ones fellow man.  

In an upcoming article on the 1st Amendment I will attempt to compel my readers that the 1st Amendment is really a 4th check on our Government.  Why would several issues be placed in one article?  Religion- Check on morality in American legislation.  The problem here is that Then Senator Johnson slip in an Amendment prior to a vote that disallowed folks speak against a candidate from the pulpit.   The issue is that the Freedom of Speech falls within the same amendment.  Another check on the Government, The downfall of the Immigration Reform is an example of free speech working to stop legislation the country disagrees with.  The freedom of the press is a continuance of a check on the Government.  So is peacefully assembly and petitioning the government.  My contention is that our religious freedom and the Government not establishing a state religion is that this freedom is transcends anything that Johnson slipped into legislation at the last minute.  So the framers had a specific desired outcome adding these several freedoms together.  One should consider this when trying to limit faith in America.

Story further related that the amendment was not added to be completely indifferent to any religion either. 

So, if I chose to pay the 30 bucks extra for a license plate like other do to save the wales, or wildlife, or education, I should have the right as the first amendment states, Free exercise thereof.  The words, "Separation of Church and State" is not found in the Constitution.  It was a statement made by Jefferson that does not relate, with proper reading,  that The State should have nothing to do with religion but that there should be no religious test for office as stated in the constitution.  How folks have arrived at the Establishment Clause to mean freedom from religion is just not found anywhere in the Founding Fathers statements nor those, Like Story, who served in the congress probably knew the Framers and could accurately reflect the thoughts of the day. 

Thanks

Glad to see you writing here once again.