The meaning of the separation of church and state.

[McCulloch]

We have separation of church and state, not separation of faith and state.

Question for debate: Does the separation of church and state imply a separation of faith and state? What role has faith in the operation of the state?

While you may frame your responses in the context of the constitution of the USA, its first amendment and the interpretations provided by the US Supreme Court, we should also discuss this question in a more generic sense of the western liberal secular democratic tradition.

[Goat]

Initial victory for the forces of secularism and separation. There will be appeals, of course.

Yes, and in addition to appealing, Obama has decided to totally ignore the Supreme Court's ruling. Apparently, he considers himself to be above the law.

Uh.. No. It wasn't supreme Court ruling, it was a federal court ruling.

The federal court ruled that her ruling does not block a national prayer day until all appeals are exhausted.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/prayerday.asp

[Question Everything]

My mistake. I remember that in 2008 FFRF challenged the National Day of Prayer in federal court, and I also noticed that 2010 had a National Day of Prayer. I thought that this meant that FFRF lost somehow, now I see that it is more complicated than I thought.

We'll have to see what happens in 2011 and 2012.