The question of Religion and Politics!?

I read this essay and found it very fascinating,yet potentially very confounding for the Christian whose present notion or idiom of state and religion scathes only but the peripheries of the ideology herewith propagated in this essay.

According to Kenneth Cauthen (http://www.frontiernet.net)the question of religion and politics is not the same as the question of church and state. Failure to make this distinction results in confusion. The problem of church and state has to do with institutions and practices. Neither must trespass the boundaries that define their legitimate sphere of influence. Here the concept of separation is valid. Thorny problems arise in two particular areas.

1. The first involves trying to steer between avoiding an establishment of religion and permitting its free exercise. Prayer in public schools and is among the most contentious.

2. A second range of problems arises when religious belief and practice conflict with secular law.

Do you agree or do you disagree? What are your thoughts, because some people think like this and they believe or contest the above notions. which camp do you fall on?

Note that I simply copied this text the way it was presented by its original author. I have no intention of trying to interpret it for you, all I want is for you to share with me your own thoughts or sentiments concerning this essay whose full text can be found on the website whose URL is provided above.

In future I will provide a direct link from my site for you so you can just click and see the whole texts from which I quote, however I am unable, presently, because I have one or two errors on my page, which makes it difficult for me to do that for you. Bear with me till then.