Cause for Concern (Church/State) What Jefferson intended as an
explanation of the First Amendment's protection of the free
exercise of religion was misapplied by the Supreme Court to the
Establishment Clause, a mix-up that has resulted in the very
interference with religious free exercise that Jefferson argued
against. The so-called "wall of separation between church and
state" has done more damage to America's religious and moral
tradition than any other utterance of the Supreme Court. While
the First Amendment was originally intended to prevent the
establishment of a national religion and thus ensure religious
liberty, the Supreme Court's misuse of the "separation of church
and state" phrase has fostered hostility toward, rather than
protection of, religious freedom. This phrase has been used by
the Court to outlaw Ten Commandments displays in public
buildings, prayer and Bible reading in schools, clergy and even
student invocations at school events, and other public
acknowledgements of God. Such decisions