From My Journal (XIII)

The transition of the Roman world from Pagainism to Christianity between 270 and 325 was the most momentous period in the history of the West. The State was the spirit of Paganism, religion was the spirit of Christianity. Constantine combined Christianity into the political order to bolster the State against chaos. Church and State, from Diocletian and Constantine until the French Revolution in 1789 had an uneasy truce punctuated by hostility.

The US was the first nation in history to seperate religion and the State. This was done to protect religion from the State. It encouraged a vast number of faiths to bloom. No one sect could dominate because none were protected or destroyed by the State. This created a unique brand of American Patriotism in which loyalty is felt not to the State, religion, or government, but to the "Nation." The Nation is the People in their political capacity.

It is this unique kind of nationalism, loyalty to the nation, the People, and the Constitution as a reflection of the Liberty of the People, that is the quiet strength that has unified the country through the divisions of class, region, race and creed. The unity is not enforced by a particular religion. The unity is derived from the diversity of religions and each individual's belief in his own creed and right to hold that creed as expressed in the National Creed. Freedom of Religion as guaranteed by its separation from the State strengthens the nation as it allows religion to animate the souls of each individual without interferecne from the State.

This is why it is not the State that is the source of soverignty but the People in there political capacity. It is not a strong state that welds our unity or guarantees our Liberty. It is a strong nation within which a multiplicity of religions, beliefs and states can flourish.

We are, and ever shall be, the United States, not the United State. A unitary State would threaten not only our religious Liberty buy all of our Liberties and our unity that is buttressed by them.