n theology values human life and prohibits the killing of a human being. Despite such a universally held belief, numerous states still impose the death penalty within their jurisdictions. Apparently, the religious value on human life in these states is not associated with the state's act of killing. Therefore, state action and religious morality, although at odds, can and does exist together. The long-held belief in the division between church and state illustrates the problem of reconciling the American cultural values of religious doctrine and obedience to state expectations. This notion places importance in the goals of the state while at the same time insuring that religion is not promoted by the state. This balancing act has been recognized since colonial times. Because of its long history in this country, religion and the morals its advances, cannot be legislated, at least not openly. To do so would create an atmosphere that Americans have been socialized to ignore. Americans have been trained to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's and God what is God's." Implementation of the statute would create what would be perceived as a violation between church and state. Even if the division of church and state could be maintained the morality that religion would demand is too complex to be universal. Granted, the united states is a Christian nation and may hold many Christian values as morality. And it is this morality that makes the individual choose to offer assistance. However, Christianity has many different sects within this country. It encompasses the fundamentalist as well as progressive religious thinkers. The morality taught by religion in this country is interpreted in many different ways, according to the religious denomination. Therefore, the morality that this legislation attempts to encourage could never be uniform. Morality would play no part in the conscious or subconscious minds of bystanders. Capitalistic ...
