The oldest description we have of the problems that can arise between church and state is in the Bible. The ancient people of the Bible had a priesthood, which became hereditary--only the sons of priests became priests. The priests were the only authority--they performed religious rites, but they were also the only government the people knew. Eventually the people wanted a king. They had encountered other people who had a king, and wanted one of their own. They got their king--but it didn't take long for the priests and the king to disagree over what the people should do. This is the oldest record of a conflict between church and state that I know of, and the conflict continues today--not just in our own country, but everywhere.
Many "religious" people don't believe that they can support the state and be faithful members of their religion. People who believe in supporting the state usually also believe that religion and the state can peacefully coexist. Both of these groups need to understand one another better.
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