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was necessary for the success of the country, and that “religion is necessary for the production and maintenance of virtue.”
As Benjamin Franklin is quoted, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” It was further pointed out that the founding fathers wanted the government to promote religious freedom and diversity, but did not want a State religion in the European model, because that approach had proven to be corrupting to both church and state, and resulted in intolerance to religious practices other than the accepted state religion. The “pros” also noted that nowhere in the constitution is it stated that there be a “separation of church and state.”
That phrase has been incorrectly attributed to the constitution when in fact it was in a letter from Jefferson to a Baptist minister, letter that ends with the “promise to pray for the Baptists.”
The debaters opposed pointed to the same European church-state model that the “pros” did, and noted the same corrupting influences and intolerance to support their position. They discussed the fact that many of the Colonists came here to find religious freedom and to escape intolerance but that, when they were
See VIRTUE, Page A8
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