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So many who argue against church-state separation, assume that those on the other side, are somehow against religion. But any familiarity with the stength and diversity of religious worship in the United States - where we do have church-state separation - shows that church-state separation protects religious freedom.

Think about it: how could we experience religious freedom, if our religious choices were made for us by government? Why would we bother to be active in our local house of worship, if the government took care of it for us? And if our religion were different from the government-sponsored choice, how could we feel like full citizens?

There's nothing like being a member of a small religious minority in a small town that is overwhelmingly another religion, to teach you the importance of church-state separation. I had that unfortunate experience. My children were reminded of their outsider status at every turn. The symbols of the majority's religious holidays were in the school plays, school concerts - even their math homework! They couldn't go to the doctor without being asked about the majority holiday coming up. We couldn't go shopping at holiday time without having to constantly explain, "No, we don't celebrate..." While these are not all examples of government action, they illustrate the importance of protecting religious minorities from this type of "tyranny of the majority."

There's another side to how church-state separation protects religion: it stops government from meddling in the affairs of institutionalized religion. Religionists who push for voucher programs for private religious schools, don't think past the money, about what strings might be attached. In the end, the autonomy of the church, or other institution running the school, is harmed.

Of course, church-state separation also allows people to choose not to worship. And what good would the other choice be, if the right to refrain did not exist?

Contrary to anti-separationist propaganda, church-state separtion is religion's best friend.

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