Roots of Freedom: The Historical Context and Influences Behind America’s Secular Foundation

When we look back at the founding of America, it’s easy to think of it as the birth of a new political system. But for many of those who came to this land and those who would go on to shape its principles, America represented something much more personal: the freedom to be, to explore, and to live in alignment with one’s own truth. At a time when religious conformity was enforced across much of Europe, the idea of a nation that allowed each individual to freely explore their beliefs was radical, almost unimaginable. But it was precisely this kind of open, secular society that the Founding Fathers envisioned.

Escaping Persecution: The Personal Stories Behind Religious Freedom
Many of the early settlers who arrived on American shores came seeking something precious and often denied to them in their homelands: religious freedom. In England and across Europe, the state and church were deeply intertwined, and stepping outside of approved beliefs often led to punishment. For example, Catholics, Puritans, and other religious minorities faced persecution in England simply for holding beliefs that differed from the official doctrine. This was the world the settlers left behind—a world where faith was often enforced, rather than chosen.

“…the number, the industry and the morality of the priesthood and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of church and state.” – James Madison

This history of persecution left a deep imprint on the American consciousness. The Puritans who landed at Plymouth Rock, for example, wanted to worship freely, yet their strict views led to tensions even within their communities. Figures like Roger Williams, who was exiled from Massachusetts for advocating religious tolerance, founded Rhode Island as a refuge for people of all faiths. Williams’s vision of a “hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world” would later echo in Thomas Jefferson’s own language about separating church and state. This experience of enforced belief and subsequent freedom created a unique perspective: that true faith, and ultimately Realization, must come from within, not from mandates imposed by others.

The Influence of the Enlightenment
The Founders were also deeply influenced by the Enlightenment, a period that celebrated reason, science, and the rights of individuals. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke argued that personal conscience and faith should remain outside the jurisdiction of the state. Locke’s ideas on religious tolerance had a profound impact, particularly his belief that “the care of souls is not committed to the civil magistrate.” For Locke, the right to believe was an intrinsic human right—something that couldn’t be legislated or controlled.

The Founders, many of whom were well-read in Enlightenment philosophy, embraced this vision of individual freedom. They believed that religion was a matter of personal conscience, beyond the government’s reach. This idea resonated with those who saw the divine as something to be discovered within, not imposed from without. James Madison, often called the “Father of the Constitution,” would later argue that intertwining government with religion could corrupt both institutions, saying, “Religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.” Madison’s stance reflected the Enlightenment belief in individual integrity—the idea that each person’s connection to their beliefs, their truth, should remain untouched by the government.

The Dark Legacy of European Religious Conflicts
The Founders were also keenly aware of the destruction caused by religious conflicts across Europe. Wars like the Thirty Years’ War—a devastating conflict that left millions dead—were fresh in their minds. These conflicts showed the horrors that could unfold when religious doctrine became intertwined with government power. The Founders wanted to avoid this kind of division and suffering at all costs. They envisioned a nation that wouldn’t force its citizens into religious conformity, but would instead allow people of all beliefs to live in harmony.

By keeping religion and government separate, the Founders created a society that would remain free of the divisions that had fractured European countries. This was a decision rooted in compassion and foresight, an understanding that freedom from enforced belief was essential for peace. In building a secular government, they weren’t denying the importance of faith; they were protecting its authenticity, allowing each person’s connection to the divine to emerge organically, without interference.

“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god.”– Thomas Jefferson

A Vision for Self-Realization
What the Founders understood—perhaps more than we often realize—was that true freedom meant creating a society where each individual could explore, question, and find their own path to spiritual or personal truth. For those of us exploring Realization, this foundation is incredibly powerful. The Founders’ decision to create a secular republic gave each of us the space to connect with our own inner wisdom, to discover the divine within, without needing validation from external institutions.

Thomas Jefferson beautifully captured this sentiment in his Notes on the State of Virginia: “The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god.” Jefferson’s words remind us that our beliefs don’t harm one another, and that we are all free to find our truth in our own way. This respect for personal belief and non-interference by the government allows each of us to explore deeply, without the pressure of fitting into a particular religious framework.

An Invitation to Walk Our Own Path
By creating a secular government, the Founders laid down a path where every person has the right to journey inward. This freedom aligns beautifully with Awakening unto Realization, because Realization is about experiencing truth directly, finding the divine within ourselves. It’s not about being told what to believe; it’s about discovering our truth. The Founders’ respect for each person’s individual journey is woven into the very fabric of American identity, and it’s a gift that allows us to live in harmony with our own unique path.

America’s foundation, then, is more than a political structure—it’s a space for spiritual and personal exploration. It invites each of us to realize that, within this freedom, we have everything we need to find our way. By giving us the room to be, to explore, and to discover, the Founders created a legacy that respects the sovereignty of each soul. In the end, their commitment to a secular government was an invitation to each of us to trust our own truth, to live authentically, and to realize the fullness of who we are.