Reply #22: I'm no constitutional expert, so I can't help you there

[Crunchy Frog]

but I would ask your brother whether he really thinks that the state should be imposing itself in the most intimate sphere of our personal lives, namely our spirituality.

The founders clearly intended that there should be a separation. There is plenty of evidence for that, though others more knowledgable than myself will have to provide it. They had seen what the effects were in other countries of not having that separation.

Of course, just because our country was founded with the intention of their being separation of church and state, doesn't mean that it will continue to be that way. The alternative would seem to be some sort of theocracy, though our country is so religiously diverse that it's hard to know which sect would end up on top.

You might try looking up the Treaty of Tripoli and see what you find.