Stephan:   When you read the accounts of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it becomes clear how very strongly the Founders felt about creating a firewall between church and state. In 1797  the Treaty of Tripoli formally read to the senate twice was ratified unanimously without debate on 7 June 1797.  President John Adams signed it. It contained the follow clause, "'The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion." Culturally heavily influenced by Christianity to be sure, but there was no formal state religion. The Founders either  personally or through their families had direct experience with state religion and they saw all the evils that attended this linkage. Like so much of our history that seems to be forgotten. The christofascist cult has worked for years to influence state policy We are now seeing the fruits of that labor.