Quote:
Originally posted by Chato:
This is the real meaning of the First Amendment Clause of our United States Constitution, which reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..." James Madison had this clause put into the Constitution, in order that the government would never again force citizens to ATTEND a state-controlled church, such as the Anglican Church in Virginia had been. This is the true meaning of the phrase: "Separation of the Church from interference by the State." Now, all the different Christian denominations could worship God in their own way, and preach the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ wherever they wished.

Separation of Church and State does NOT mean that there will be no religious references in State facilities, organizations, buildings, etc. It simply means that the State can not force it's citizens to practice a particular religion.
Here's a funny little quote:

"Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and & Gov't in the Constitution of the United States the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies, may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history (Detached Memoranda, circa 1820)."

Note the word between. That means both ways. And that's James Madison.

Madison didn't even think there should be chaplains in congress, nor even in the military:

Madison\'s Detached Memoranda
_________________________
"Nature has constituted utility to man the standard and test of virtue. Men living in different countries, under different circumstances, different habits and regimens, may have different utilities; the same act, therefore, may be useful and consequently virtuous in one country which is injurious and vicious in another differently circumstanced" - Thomas Jefferson, moral relativist