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Rhetorical Analysis Of Separation Of Church And State

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Lauren Prescott
Eng105-12
Rhetorical Analysis
10/8/13

Separation of Church and State

In this article Stephen L. Carter expresses the great deal on the separation of church and state. Carter does a very good job at utilizing his rhetorical devices to really make sure we have the information embedded in our heads by the time we have finished the article. He does this job with the help of exemplification to give you multiple examples and leading proof of the separation of the church and state; the application of pathos because religion can sometimes be a touchy subject to some, so it brings out more of an emotional appeal; and, lastly, he utilizes repetition in a very different manner to keep the reader interested but to make it very clear the point he is getting across.
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The Constitution has the biggest say so overall. It is what keeps the church and state separated. Politics, media, school, etc. all try to include the church in something they might do, but it just simply is going against the Constitution. There have many cases where the law has “bent” the rules and allowed certain activities and had so- called reasoning. The government should not force anyone into a religious sector, this means avoiding prayer in classrooms, or favoring specific religions over others, and by not providing government funding. Is it okay to allow certain cases, but not others? Just as Carter states, “that understanding the distinction is the key to preserving the necessary separation of church and state without resorting to a philosophical rhetoric that treats religion as an inferior way for citizens to come to public

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