I'd like to see a cleaner interface, there's clearly no problem with content.

All laws that constrain behavior are based on our beliefs and values.  This is true if those beliefs spring from deity based religions as well as secular religions like Goreacleism.  I'm fine with any group trying to drum up the votes to ban pork (fat chance) for any reason.  That includeds meat is murder, it is unkind to piggies, some diety or other frowns on the practice, obesity, or we should all be vegans.  This is what democracy is all about.

Back to the post:  Your understanding of the anti-establishment clause concurs with what I was taught from childhood in the 1960s all the way through my gen-ed requirements for my BA.  I've never understood where the bogus argument for tearing down the separation of church and state originated.  I've always thought it was utter garbage.

I don't mean redundant (and I'll say it anyway), but, given what we've all witnessed over the last few years, it seems to me that the Constitution as a whole has suffered some erosion -- yeah, I know, huge understatement.  The point I want to make is that the undermining of habeas probably scares me more than all the rest, excepting the separation of powers.  Without habeas protections, the rest of the Bill of Rights and other equal protection clauses/amendments are extremely vulnerable.  Now I may be wrong, and if I am, BTD, I fully expect you to take this reply apart and send me to American government study hall.  ;->  

Establishment: a public or private institution with a code of laws such as an established church.

Established Church: a church recognized by law as the official church of a nation or state and supported by civil authority.

Did the Framers of the Constitution want separation of church and state? Yes they did! And the following example is the reason why:
On Oct. 7, 1776, the General Assembly of Virginia was besieged by petitions protesting discrimination. At the time the Church of England was the American religious establishment in the colonies for whose support all were taxed regardless of affiliation. Seventeen days later, the Presbytery of Hanover presented a memorial arguing for religious freedom. The following is taken from that memorial: "...it is at least impossible for the magistrate to adjudge the right of preference among the various sects that profess the Christian faith, without erecting a chair of infallibility, which would lead us back to the Church of Rome."---Annals of America, volume 2, 1976 edition concerning the "Declaration on the Free Exercise of Religion."

There are many more examples to be found in the Annals of America, volumes 2, 3 and 4, which cover the years 1755 to 1820; examples showing that the Founders did not want a church-state form of government. The Founders did not think that true religious freedom could be had if, for example: Baptists were taxed to support a Presbyterian church-state form of government, or if Presbyterians had to pay taxes to support a Baptist church-state form of government.

Again, the first amendment says that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion; but it does not say that congress shall make no law respecting religion. What it does say is that congress shall make no law forbidding the free exercise of religion, and that, in itself is a law respecting religion.

In the same pages of the "Annals of America" can be found many examples showing the Founders did want religion (the Christian religion) to guide our state government.

In 1798, Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration and member of the Cont. Congress, wrote an essay on Independence and Education. In his essay he said: "...the religion I mean to recommend in this place is that of the New Testament....MY ONLY BUSINESS IS TO DECLARE THAT ALL ITS DOCTRINES AND PRECEPTS ARE CALCULATED TO PROMOTE THE HAPPINESS OF SOCIETY AND THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT."--Annals, volume 4, 1976.

In George Washington's farewell address, he wrote; "With slight shades of differences, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles...."

Washington was saying the American people had different Christian denominations. There is more than a slight shade of difference between Christian and Islam, or Christian and Atheism. In fact, the following quote from Oliver Ellsworth, member of the Continental Congress and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1796-1800, shows that during Washington's time, there was a law against practicing Atheism openly: "...while I assert the rights of religious liberty, I would not deny that the civil power has a right, in some cases, to interfere in matters of religion. It has a right to prohibit and punish gross immoralities and impieties; because the open practice of these is of evil example and detriment. For this reason, I heartily approve of our laws against drunkenness, profane swearing, blasphemy, and professed atheism." ---Annals, volume 3, 1976.

Back to George Washington farewell address he said that religion is one of the pillars of government: "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports....Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. ...reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle....It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government."--Annals of America, volume 3, 1976.

John Adams believed religion was necessary for freedom: "It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand."--John Adams, Religion and the Founding of the American Republic, Library of Congress.

John Adams also believed that virtue was necessary: "Honor is truly sacred, but holds a lower rank in the scale of moral excellence than virtue. Indeed, the former is but a part of the latter....If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it better calculated to promote the general happiness than any other form?"--John Adams, the Foundation of Government, Annals, volume 3, 1976.

And, John Adams believed that it was men's duty to worship God. A Massachusetts State constitution with a Bill of Rights was drafted by John Adams and ratified on June 15, 1780. Article II OF THIS Bill of Rights stated: "It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the Supreme Being, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained in his persons, liberty, or estate for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience..."--Annals of America, vol. 2, 1976

Jefferson believed that schools should promote religion, morals, and manners with good government: "The plan for the free schools is taken chiefly from the plans which have long been used with success in Scotland and in the eastern states of America, where the influence of learning in promoting religion, morals, manners, and good government has never been exceeded in any country."--Thomas Jefferson, Annals, volume 3, 1976.

On July 13, 1787, several months after the Dec. of Ind. was signed, the Continental Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, an ordinance regulating land expansion and the forming of new states. This ordinance shows that the Continental Congress expected schools to teach religion and morality along with knowledge: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

This quote is from Noah Webster, the creator of the Webster Dictionary, is more proof that schools were to teach religion and morality: "My wish is not to see the Bible excluded from schools but to see it is used as a system of religion and morality..."--Annals, volume 3, 1976.

Another quote from Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Dec., tells us that the principals and morals, of those who are to teach our children, should be examined by (Christian)religion: "...the only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.... Call upon the rulers of our country to lay the foundation of their empire in knowledge as well as virtue...Let the schoolmasters of every description be supported in part by the public, and let their principles and morals be subjected to examination before we employ them."--Annals, volume 3, 1976.

Another quote from Oliver Ellsworth, member of the Continental Congress and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1789-96, tells us that it is our duty to vote for people who support (Christian) religion: "If we mean to have those appointed to public offices who are sincere friends to religion, we, the people who appoint them, must take care to choose such characters...."--The Annals, volume 3, 1976.

Regarding our constitutional government, Alexander Hamilton, New York delegate to the constitutional convention, and secretary of treasury under Washington wrote: "For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system which, without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interest."--Annals, volume 3, 1976.

James Madison said: "Before any man can be considered a member of society, he must be considered a subject of the Governor of the universe:"--against religious assessment, Annals, volume 3, 1976.

Alexis De Tocqueville could see that freedom had to come with responsibility and that religion provided that responsibility: "...whilst the law permits the Americans to do what they please, religion prevents them from conceiving, and forbids them to commit, what is rash or unjust."-- 19th-century observations on the American republic.

Our nation was founded on the Christian religion. The purpose of the 1rst amendment is to protect the people form being taxed to support any one Christian denomination. It is not, however, for the purpose of preventing Christian morals guiding our Republic.