Church-state separation protects everyone’s right to believe, or not believe, as long as they don’t harm others.
The separation of church and state guarantees a government that is not infused with religion. Why is a government like this so important? An officially non-religious government protects everyone’s right to believe and worship, or not, as they see fit. It gives no preference to any one mode of faith… The separation of church and state ensures that everyone has equal access to hospitals and medical care, public schools, and government services—full civil rights regardless of their religious/philosophical beliefs. A secular government defends true religious freedom which secures equality without exception for everyone, from the most devout believers to atheists
America’s founders got some things wrong, but the separation of church and state is one thing they got absolutely right… This separation is a pillar of our democracy. That’s why religious leaders have backed church-state separation from the earliest days of the American colonies to the folks who founded AU, to the clergy on AU’s Faith Advisory Council today. True religious freedom needs this separation. It’s the most promising way to make certain we can all live together fairly and peacefully.
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State was founded in 1947 by religious, political, and educational leaders in order to defend the most precious of our nation’s freedoms—the freedom of conscience.
Our primary goal as an organization and local chapter is to educate the American public and our community regarding the importance of religious liberty through the separation of church and state. To achieve this goal on the local level we:
- Outreach to community, congregational and civic groups with our Speaker’s Bureau.
- Sponsor forums open to the public with expert speakers, panel discussions and debates. See calendar
- Network with the media through press releases, newspaper editorials, and radio and television interviews.
- Approach public officials at all levels to educate them regarding the intricacies of church-state separation.
- Develop relationships with communities of faith and non-faith.
- Report violations of church-state separation to our legal department.
- Grow chapter membership and fundraise for the organization.
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On the national level, Americans United:
- Publishes the award-winning Church & State magazine each month to keep you up-to-date regarding the latest church-state issues. This is a benefit when you become a member.
- Litigates cases before the Supreme Court and lower courts in order to vigorously defend religious liberty. Our legal department maintains a vigilant watch over developing cases and works to make sure your religious freedom is not infringed.
- Organizes local chapters and activist networks around the country.
- Convenes regional and national meetings and training sessions.
- Advocates before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures and other governmental bodies and agencies.
- Promotes church-state separation in the news media, providing expert commentary on breaking religious liberty developments.
Individuals who become members of our chapter and Americans United join with thousands of people throughout this country who view freedom of conscience as the founding principle upon which our democracy rests!