
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 1, 1990                   TAG: 9006010639
SECTION: A-8 EDITORIAL                    PAGE:    EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CHURCH-STATE DIVISION NOT PART OF LAW

YOUR EDITORIAL "Church and state in county schools" May 22 begins: "It is useful to have federal judges around to remind people of such niceties as the separation of church and state."

The Constitution does not mention a separation of church and state. Article I of the 10 original amendments of Dec. 15, 1791, says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Those who would impose and inculcate the state religion of atheistic humanism tend to quote Chapter 10, Article 124 of the Constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of Feb. 25, 1947: "In order to ensure to citizens' freedom of conscience, the church in the U.S.S.R. is separated from the state, and the schools from the church. Freedom of religious worship and freedom of anti-religious propoganda is recognized for all citizens."

The term "wall of separation" was used by Thomas Jefferson to describe the desired condition to counter the state religion of Virginia when it was the Church of England. Jefferson used the term in a personal letter; never was it a law.

It is U.S. District Judge J. Harry Michail Jr. and the American Civil Liberties Union who are violating the U.S. Constitution by prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging freedom of speech and of the press, and prohibiting the people's right peaceably to assemble for Bible study and discussion. MARSHALL A. COBURN NARROWS

by CNB