1) in the 1820's in order to justify the attack and conquest of the native populations the doctrine of manifest destiny was used to suggest that it was god's will that we conquer and civilize the heathen natives.

1 B) in the coldwar era when pimping christianity, and noting the godless nature of the USSR was used to help define their opponent and list them as evil for various jingoistic reasons, this is most notably seen in adding the under god line into the pledge of allegiance in 1953


2) thomas jefferson suggest that rleigion is hands of to the government and says that since religion is the domain of the mind the government has no right to control, tax, or otherwise interfere with religion.
he is the guy that coined separation of church and state after all.

3) most seperation of church and state issues have been dealt with through teh supreme court, particularily in precedent, where various cases have determined the current state of religion.
the courts have been the main form where this debate is settled, certainly the scopes monkey trial, where teaching evolution in school was placed on trial showed this, but several other cases have pointed this out. much of the argument stems from u.s. policy that churches are tax free and may not receive tax funds, however this limitation has been lessened due to the new found support of faith based inititaves.


5) while MLK used christian theology as a way to argue against discrimintation in the u.s. arguing that it was counter to jesus message of universal brother
jerry falwell used religion to support discrimination of gays, and to develop and strengthen the republican party with the religious right, by using abortion as a wedge issue to seperate and increase participation in the conservative base.
also cocks.