When people speak of patriotism they often include the phrase, "For God and Country." The operative word in this line is "and." God, and country, are two distinctly different entities; the two being both joined and separated by the conjunction "and." I am extremely grateful for that little three letter conjunction. Let me explain.

My church, like many in this area, has an American flag on a stand. However, I'd wager that if you asked one of my parishioners about it they would have difficulty telling you where it is. You see, unlike many local churches, our flag is not located at the front of the church sanctuary but is, instead, in one obscure corner of the social hall.

Are my congregants disrespectful of this American symbol? Are we less patriotic than other church-goers in the larger community? Absolutely not. What is different about many of the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Athens is that we wholeheartedly believe in the separation of church and state. Each has its appropriate place and time, and each is best addressed individually without mixing.

Our country's founding fathers recognized this division, too. Thomas Paine, one of the most prominent Deists of the time, declared, "My own mind is my own church." Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions."

John Adams and James Madison both studied for the ministry. Adams made extensive studies of the world religions and wrote, "I have found no nation without a religion, nor any people without a supreme Being. I have been overwhelmed with sorrow to see the natural love and fear of that Being wrought upon by politicians to produce the most horrid cruelties, superstitions, and hypocrisy."

Madison agreed with Adams that government interference with religion would only result in corruption. It is Madison's words that resound from the first clause of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

None of these men wanted a government that would proscribe what they must believe. Neither did they want any church or religious denomination to exercise power over the people elected to govern the nation. These stellar Patriots understood that God and country must remain independent of each other for each to evolve and prosper naturally.

Like most people, I love a parade. The sound of a marching band playing the "Stars and Stripes Forever," coupled with the sight of the red, white, and blue can bring a tear to my eye and cause me to catch my breath. Yet just because something moves or stirs our spirits, like patriotism, it does not mean we are experiencing something spiritual. Patriotism is about feelings of loyalty to a nation, not loyalty to God or to one's religious beliefs.

God AND country. Separation of church and state. It's not just a good idea, it's the law.