"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ..."
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Our Mission
"To be an effective voice, locally, in matters of separation of church and state."
As concerned citizens, we have formed a new chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. AUSV is dedicated to protecting and strengthening the 'wall of separation' between our government and religious institutions.All of us have been deeply troubled by the influence religions have in our public policies, on the actions taken by our government, and in the official statements that do not reflect the religious and non-religious diversity of our country.
We believe that an absolute separation of church and government (at all levels) is an essential cornerstone to our democracy.
Our school systems, city councils, state and federal legislatures, and federal administrations should be silent on issues of religious content.
But beyond that, we need public officials that in no way promote particular religious viewpoints and policies. We demand officials that understand separation of church and state strengthens both our democracy and religious liberty.
Our Goals:
1. Keep its membership and our community-at-large informed on church and state issues.We invite anyone who shares our common concern about these issues to contact us or become a member of AUSV.
2. Reach out to our communities of faith to ensure an understanding of how the 'wall of separation' actually increases religious liberty.
3. Influence local, state, and federal leaders when decisions are made that impact our first amendment rights.
4. Provide a forum for discussion on the meaning, history, and future of the separation of church and state.