The separation of church and state began with the Greeks. However, their religion seemed to tie more closely to their political affairs as things in Greek society were often done for the pleasure of the gods. The Jews also had early ideas of this separation because of their religious persecution. Could you even imagine a country where people are punished or exiled for religious practices?
While we must obey our laws, what about higher laws? This is where church and state tend to mix in the United States. Like Antigone's reasoning, "I disobeyed because the law was not the law of Zeus nor the law ordained by Justice", things like abortion and the death penalty seem to conflict with the higher laws of Christianity. They should not be an issue if church and state are really separate but they never can be completely. Most law makers will draw off their personal lives and beliefs. They must also appeal to the desires of the citizens or they will be challenged and possibly taken out of office.
Things like slavery have proved to be unjust in the past and MLK argued in a fashion after Antigone. Higher law trumps human law.
"Render unto Ceasar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
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