Why cant religion be a private matter in the US?

[Charlemagne]

We all know the facts and can quote chapter and verse from religious texts and the Constitution that say either:

1. Pray and worship in private and dont be a dick about it
2. Hey you cant force people to believe in anything, lets just have laws that are acceptable and have nothing to do with religion of any kind.


Yet, the a majority (or very large and vocal minority) demand that everyone bend to their religious beliefs and profess as such on a constant basis. They demand that politicians, at all levels, be more devout than a minister. They demand that stores celebrate a particular religion AND celebrate it in a particular way.

I thought, by their rhetoric, these were the people of free market capitalism without government intervention. I thought these were the people that believed in individual responsibility and rugged individualism.

Yet, they demand that everything and everyone carry themselves like church on sunday.

Why cant we just let people believe what they want; let stores sell/market what they want; and make sure politicians profess faith in the law instead of a god?

I was born in 82 so, to me, this is how America has always been. Ive read that it didnt get this bad until the 70s and 80s. Is that the case? And if so, how do we go back?