Avoiding Quote by John M Swomley

“In short, when it comes to colonial America, religious persecution—in the sense of persecution both based in religion and aimed at religion—was as American…

— John Corvino

“As noted, late in their deliberations the drafters of the Constitution included a clause prohibiting religious tests or prerequisites for holding any federal office.”

— Steven K. Green

Our Constitution was not intended to be used by ... any group to foist its personal religious beliefs on the rest of us.

— Katharine Hepburn

The history of our nation is intertwined with a certain religious tradition, and that the First Amendment was not intended to result in the…

— William Bennett

The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

— Billy Graham

A move to decide citizenship on the basis of religion amounts to rejecting the Constitution.

— Pinarayi Vijayan

I believe that the Framers of the Constitution made their intent clear when they wrote the First Amendment. I believe they wanted to keep…

— Nick Rahall

This is perhaps the most important statement on religion ever made. It clarified the intent of the founders of the constitution irrespective of the…

— Thomas Jefferson

Some men look at Constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them, like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched. They ascribe…

— Thomas Jefferson

“The Americans of the age were not an irreligious people; and the fact that they were Christian was very important, for the marks of…

— Theodore H. White

By maintaining the separation of church and state, the United States has avoided the intolerance which has so divided the rest of the world…

— Barry Goldwater

At the time of the adoption of the constitution, and of the amendment to it, now under consideration [i.e., the First Amendment], the general,…

— Joseph Story