Religion among Americans is currently widespread. Research shows that approximately 90% of Americans profess to believe in God. Therefore religion continues to have a great influence on American culture. But ironically, the United States is among the few nations not to establish an official religion. This is called separation of church and state. The implementation of the separation of church and state in the 1990s was a controversy that transformed not only government but also education in our society today. The separation of church and state is the government's neutral position toward religion. The separation of church and state is not directly found in the United States Constitution. But this principle is often referred to as freedom of religion in the First Amendment. The First Amendment prohibits the creation of a national religion, but not necessarily the separation of church and state. The true purpose of the First Amendment was to prohibit the federal government from establishing a national church, as the English did. The amendment recognizes a “differentiation between church and government, which does not mean they cannot cooperate with each other,” Tomas Jefferson said. The government is prohibited from supporting or supporting any religion, or promoting one over another. Furthermore, the government cannot appoint religious leaders, force anyone to worship, or provide interpretations of sacred scripture. Historians say our Founding Fathers gave four primary reasons for the separation of church and state. First, the framers wanted separation so that church affairs could be protected from any governmental matters. Also, so Americans could be protected from... middle of paper... videos. "Separation of Church and State". Wall builders. Texas Limited Liability Corporation, January 2001. Web. March 18, 2014."Church and State, Separation of." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Enciclopedia.com. March 21, 2014 ..Lino, Bill. "The True Meaning of the Separation of Church and State." Forbes. July 9, 2011. Web. March 19, 2014. Paulsen, Michael S. “Where the Separation of Church and State Is in the Constitution.” Public discourse. The Witherspoon Institute, October 28, 2010. Web. March 19, 2014. “United States Supreme Court Decisions.” The secular web. Network. March 17. 2014. .