You know that old phrase "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." I swear on a Bible that we have reached way beyond the separation of church and state.

Whether it is war, social conditions, or just stubbing your toe in the dark on a night stand, the phrase rings true.

Many of the Founding Fathers personally chafed at the way the Anglican church — not their church — was entangled in the governmental affairs of Britain and wanted to be sure to be able to worship in their own way.

The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Call it secularism, disestablishmentarianism, religious liberty. (Whew that is a thinker).

The United States Bill of Rights prevents the establishment of a national church, and in so doing they did not have to fear government interference in their right to expressions of religious conscience. The Bill of Rights, adopted in 1791 as ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, was one of the earliest political expressions against the political establishment of religion.

Even though the U.S. declaration was not unique in governments, attempting to really secure it is another matter.

Christians, of various denominations hit the shores of the U.S. quasi-demanding it, but the overall "Christian" principles kind of plagued the early settlers. Yes, there were Jews, Moslems and assorted god fearing people milling about, but those demanding Christians were the dominate brood. Yes, there were objections on   leaving god out of the newly formed government, but they were eventually overruled.

Okay, we started out with the supposed separation of church and state, but lo & behold, no one ever really bought into it. Slowly states began injecting the ‘god" term in little ways as the "Christian" right began to overtake objections. Swearing on a Bible became common in may courts an politician swear-ins early on.

The Bible was traditionally used in court because it was, once upon a time, a universally held treasure of holiness in the culture that no one but the most hardened person would want to desecrate by swearing by it and then lying through his teeth right after he had put his hand on the Bible that he is now desecrating.

“In God We Trust” was first added to U.S. coins during the beginning of the Civil War, when religious sentiment was on an upswing and concerned Americans wanted the world to know what their country stood for. (The old, god is on our side theory)

Many wrote to Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase on the matter, and he agreed with their arguments. Congress passed his act requesting the addition of “In God We Trust,” adapted from a lesser-known verse of Francis Scott Key’s “Star-Spangled Banner,” and the first two-cent coin with the phrase was minted in 1864.

By the mid-1950s, the concern with piety in Washington had apparently deepened; in 1955 Congress ordered the same phrase to appear on all paper currency. There simply was no politician willing to stop the god addition fearing being ostracized as anti-christ like.

Soon, presidents, courts began throwing the god phrase here and there and the move was taken that the U.S. was indeed, a Christian nation. The supporters even pushed that the phrase "In God We Trust" was not worth the fight as a symbol of separating church from state. 

It only grew over time. Soon bible touting evangelists saw power in the vote, especially in southern, more conservative states.

The push was on as religious candidates began gnawing at state acceptance of "Christianity".

Political muscles were flexed as some states were ready to put the Christian Ten Commandments into every public school classroom. Prayers? Why not?

It became almost common sense that in today’s fast changing society that we insert good Christian values, developing a Christian moral code into...everybody.

Gosh,  who in their right mind would deny god into the psychology  of young minds?

Luckily, federal courts have at least attempted to subvert the move from separation of church and state, but it is becoming very difficult as courts are leaning more to the far right.

Even the talk of god in government scares the ‘bejesus’ out of anyone in a role of leadership.

I recently asked all the Wayne County school superintendents this question.

"Please comment on the question of separation of church and state in public  education."  I also asked local politicians the same question.

Not surprisingly, even as we live in a more liberal state, no one rushed to comment, probably fearing the thought of some sort of reprisal, or label.

Only a few had the courtesy of a response.

"Religious beliefs and value systems are personal topics, and religious instruction is best conducted in houses of worship, not as part of a public school system," responded Mike Pullen, School Superintendent for the North Rose Wolcott School District.

The only other school official with the courage to respond was Robert Ike from Pal-Mac.

"Exploring religious themes is important within the frameworks of politics, history, culture, economics, and geography, for example where certified teachers explore the content with students. Devotional instruction in a religion is left to the religious experts of a particular creed and not a component of the public school curriculum.

Students, of course, can and should be able to express their religious views (i.e., engage in voluntary prayer, religious discussions, wear attire with religious significance) in school so long as it does not disrupt learning by all."

On the political side it was deafening.

State Senator Republican Pam Helming stated " This issue is not currently being considered before any of the State Senate’s legislative committees or, to my knowledge, the entire State Legislature."

She did not respond when asked what her personal feelings on the subject were.

Local Assemblyman Republican Brian Manktelow had the same response stating he knew of no legislation to add any religion to overflow into public schools and government, but on a personal note added he was brought up with Christian values and saw  some advantage of mixing public education with Christianity.

Of all the Republican town Supervisors, there was only one response from Walworth Supervisor Mike Donalty: "Sorry, I’d rather not comment."

There currently are efforts by Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana to push legislation to incorporate the Bible into public school classrooms.

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters has ordered educators in his state to teach the Bible, a move that adds to a list of recent actions by state leaders who are testing the limits of the separation of church and state in public schools.

Walters, who’s built a national profile as an outspoken critic of “woke indoctrination,” sent a June 27 memo to the state’s district superintendents directing them to incorporate the Bible into lessons for 5th through 12th grades as “one of the most historically significant books and a cornerstone of Western civilization.”

“This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country,” Walters wrote, later adding that “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

In another case recently, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed a bill to require all public schools to display a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a law that has since been challenged in court by civil liberties groups.

These are only a few of the recent  cases.

The now far right Supreme Court, along with the upcoming Trump administration is showing shaky signs of allowing more acceptance of government/religion melding. 

God only knows how the next four years will regress under ultra religious President Donald Trump and Republican wimps.

President Donald Trump being ultra-religious is a joke, in case you missed it.