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The separation of church and state refers to the philosophical concept that is used to define the size of political distance in the association between religious organizations and groupings and the state.
Both France and the United States countries have strong beliefs on religious freedom and in the separation of church and state. They however interpret and apply them in different ways from each other. The separation of church and state remained one of the major legacies of revolutions in both the American and French nations. Towards the end of the 18th century. Most of these were made possible through the rising of divergent ideas from the opposition side to the English throne and the ideals of the enlightenment.
Church and religion separation was implemented in France due to the criticism from the social revolution of the wealthy classes as well as due to the desire to have a free church. The French took over the management of education and other civic functions that traditionally had been a reserve of the church.
Muslim-American population in the U.S is approximately are around 1% while 5-8% of the population in French are Muslims in French, the freedom to practice religion has been in recognition since 1905 at a time when the law on church and state separation was enacted. The French State in any way does not show any form of favour towards any one religion and therefore promotes peaceful co-existence in respect of the laws and principles of the Republic in existence.
The bill that separated church and state was developed separating church and state was developed. The law that separated church and religion was promulgated, in December 1905.
In America, the separation of the church is considered a very vital cornerstone of American democracy. Even at a time when the number of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated Americans keeps rising, religion and state remain intertwined in so many ways which to has attracted good support from the public. In one of the Supreme Court rulings, the states are allowed to fund religious schools indirectly, while another to protects religious schools from federal employment discrimination lawsuits.
While the constitution of the U.S. Constitution has a mention of God, almost all the states through their constitutions reference God as a divine being. In the U.S also the word God appears in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and on U.S. currency. A large number of the congress members also identify with Christianity.
Similarities of church and state in the U.S and France
Both France and the United States founding documents have a special recognition of the importance of promoting freedom of conscience and religion in their countries. They both appreciate the non-religious beliefs and the human dignity of the citizens who do not find strength or value in any religion. So both France and the United States have enshrined the separation of the church and state within their founding documents.
Differences between the church and religion separation in the U.S and France
In the U.S, separation of church and state does not exempt religious activities in the public or by the public officials, and many such as the president of the USA regularly make proclamations of religious faith and many legislative sessions open with a prayer whereas in it is highly prohibited to conduct religious activities in public or the wearing of religious symbols in the public schools
Also, the U.S. government exempts their religious institutions from taxes and considers them nonprofit and even the military has religious chaplains paid by the government to offer for the spiritual needs of soldiers. In contrast to the French, the government does not display religious symbols in public institutions such as schools, courts, and government offices except cultural groups’ religious holidays.
Even when the number of Islams increase in the United States, the attitude of Americans towards Muslims won’t change. This is because there has existed a culture of tolerance for quite a long period now and the statistics do not change towards the side of reduced and negative attitude to the Islam religion.
On the laws concerning the Muslims, I opine that it would be unlikely that the American laws will change as with the French. Any law being put in place would consider the support by the majority who are ambivalent about Islam as a religion.
