Remembering America’s “Freedom of Religion” History
The separation of Church and State
August 5, 2025 was the 50th anniversary of a walkabout my wife and I had by traveling 80,000 miles on the train across Europe for a year in 1975-76. We wrote a page each day in a trip diary and to celebrate the anniversary we started reading a page a day out loud to each other. That trip changed our lives forever!
At night, we wandered the streets looking for a place to eat while passing houses and apartments and we could see families inside at their dinner tables talking to each other with smiles on their faces, engrossed in animated conversation. I was 26 and out of the United States in a foreign country for the first time. The image of happy families at the dinner table instantly opened my eyes to a broader world: we all want the same thing. We all want to have families to care for, to enjoy our work, to be happy and be at peace. The families we saw represented all the nationalities of Europe and the diverse spectrum of religions. My heart opened up to the realization that we humans are all basically the same, and we all want the same. In 50 years my belief in that principle has never changed.
Reading and reminiscing about those glorious days sparked an idea which I thought I would share with the states of Arizona (AZ), Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and any other states planning to pass laws which require posting the Ten Commandments in every public school and building.
In remembrance of America’s “Freedom of Religion” history and the Constitution which calls for the “separation of church and state,“ why not approach this as an educational project in public schools that involves students with the help of their teachers. All religions have a “core (non-religious) ethical framework“ which is usually 5 to 10 short statements for how to lead a decent, loving, peaceful, happy and productive life. And many, if not most of these core ethical principles are the same across all religions.
The students could do the research, filter and organize the basic core ethical principles, discuss their findings, and post them in a presentation area as teachers and students do every day in the classroom. I think students would be enlightened by what they learn on their own, and comforted to know that most of the world is “on the same page.“ Here are a few familiar DOs and DON’Ts selected from the world’s religions with membership numbers shown in (B) or (M).
CHRISTIANITY (2.5Billion)
Do respect the rights of neighbors (and others).
Don’t commit adultery.
ISLAM (1.9B)
Do exercise balance in behavior and conduct.
Don’t fall prey to extremism, fanaticism, and bias.
HINDUISM (1.1B)
Do be non-violent towards all living beings in thought, word, and deed.
Don’t lie.
BUDDHISM (531Million)
Do use thoughtful communication to foster unity and resolve discord.
Don’t use divisive speech, harsh speech, and senseless speech.
SIKHISM (29.3M)
Do respect the equality of all people.
Don’t succumb to the vices of pride, anger, greed, lust, addiction.
JUDAISM (14.8M)
Do honor thy father and thy mother.
Don’t commit murder.
BAHA’I (9.2M)
Do engage in honest work.
Don’t practice gossip, false and divisive speech.
DAOISM (8.8M)
Do live in harmony with nature.
Don’t pursue excessive materialism.
CONFUCIANISM (8.8M)
Do love all people and promote the good in others.
Don’t be selfish and uncooperative.
JAINISM (6.3M)
Do adhere to truth in all speech and interactions.
Don’t take anything that is not freely given or does not belong to oneself.
SHINTO (2.8M)
Do promote harmony and purity in all spheres of life.
Don’t cause disorder or conflict within society.
(NOTE: My apologies for not including every folk, tribal and new religion due to lack of space.)
Our human imperfection is what motivates us to build core ethical frameworks that provide a roadmap (DOs) and guardrails (DON’Ts) that inspire us to live together in peace. While we should all stay true to our respective faiths, this could be a unique opportunity for students to understand that these core ethical frameworks cut across all the world‘s religions, and there are far more similarities than differences. Gandhi liked to think of this rich tapestry of religions as “branches of the same majestic tree.“
Students should take heart that in spite of these stressful and chaotic times, “We are all in this together.”
Let’s all hold tight to that core principle.
Thoughtful and kind!!!
Great idea!