Have you ever thought about the role your religion plays in your daily life? What about the religion of your senator, governor, or even president? You can apply your religious beliefs in your daily decisions, but what do you think about the ability of elected officials to apply their beliefs in policies that can impact your life? The First Amendment, while not directly calling for separation of church and state, guarantees freedom of religion. However, there is debate over whether political figures should allow their religious beliefs to influence their political views. The first side we can look at on this issue is the side that supports them. One of the first arguments made is that many people today like to use Thomas Jefferson's words to their own advantage and twist them to fit their views on the separation of church and state. In 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Church, responding to their request to support them against the oppressive religious demands of their state, which was not so uncommon in modern times. Part of the context of his letter included the following, stating that the legislature of the American people "should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof, thereby building a wall of separation from Church and State.” Although many may see this as proof that religion has no place in law, that was not Jefferson's goal. He wanted to appear neutral, supporting the Danbury Church while being careful not to speak negatively about his state's government. His words were intended to establish the fact that religious matters were the responsibility of the states, not the federal government, and to define...... middle of paper ...... documents declaring that the Church and the state were to be separated, politicians allowing their religious beliefs to influence their political decisions is a touchy subject today. Although it is unclear whether religion and government can coexist, many hope that this is the case. There is a very fine line that politicians walk when it comes to this issue. Works Cited Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. “Church and state should be separated” Civil Liberties. Roman Espejo, ed. Opposing Viewpoints® series. Greenhaven Press, 2009. Huston, Warner Todd “There should be no separation of church and state” Atheism. Beth Rosenthal, ed. Opposing Viewpoints® series. Greenhaven Press, 2009. Victor, Jeffrey S. “We must oppose the introduction of religious beliefs into political decisions” Church and State. Lynn M. Zott, ed. Opposing Viewpoints® series. Greenhaven Press, 2012.