Th6 Ami-Madaim Maj mity: S??i?af? Le?, Re?gieus Righi, and the Rise 0f Rgaganjsp Ameyica A Bissa?atian Presented E0 the Fawky 0f the Graduate 8611001 Yale Umivers?y in. Candidacy far the Dggree of Damm- 0f Philesaphy by Benjamin Erie Sasse Dissa?a?am Direc?mrs: 3611 Emmy, and; Harry 8. 8mm, MW 29% UMI Number: 3125302 Copyright 2004 by Sasse, Benjamin Eric All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI UMI Microform 3125302 Copyright 2004 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road PO. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 26mi- by 33mm Eric 83.336 Ail rights regarv?d. Ahttmet rEhe hhtiuhie?eiyh ejeeity: heettiet? Kieth me the se et? heegehie heejehtth Erie hi the 19683 and ?We? et? Ametieehe credited Matte,in Murray Witeit with maetei?thihdihg a eiet te etimiheiize seheei pteyet, and thetehy te drive Get?i hem the teed. this eheiysie was Wtehg eh meitipie eettets, stattihg with the feet that het seppeseciiy Stii?i against Beitimete was eniy the third meet impertaht eheteh?stete ease of 1962-63. But the teeteei etters ef etih?egeti hy the seheei prayer decisions we tees eensequetitiai than the reaiities that which the ?myth ef Medaiyh? steed as a piece-nheid?et: Public institutiehs did de-Pmtestehtize in the hitchiie thitti of the century; the ACLU. and ether actors did scheme to thie shift; and many censtitetiehei experts did share peptiiet deuhts eheut the eveivihg interpretation ef the estehiishmeht cieuse and the eehsequeht legal seemieeizetieh. Greseteets etied eet against their hetieh?s ?hijacking? at a hearty unparalleled veiuthe, ittimedieteiy inundatieg both the Supreme Ceert and Ceegtess ie merit. The House of Rehteseetetives eveieeted ah metecetieetett MS etepesed emehtimehts in i964 te reestehiish seheei pteyet hy ehahgieg the hitst Amendment, feiieweti up by seetee mete etepeseis in 1966 and 3976. Potts showed that hearty 85% ef eitizehs suppetted e, ere-?pehiic teiigieh eitet?etieh at the Cehstitiitieh. Whieit quiehiy heceme, te quote a Life headiitte, ?the Meet Hated Wehieh teie she teiishe?. 'l?hiS dissettetioh is not about Madalyn, hot about the culturewwattihg eotteptetieote who aseeheled portly hy inflatihg her impottattee so they hot cause amt hoiltl their empires? it is also ahoitt Repuhlieao pollsters and politieiehs who stomhletl aetoss the Widespread about the apparent Mlliegttess of many Demoetate to toletate atheists. Moot of all, though, hy emittinng lay correspondence to elected of?eials during a seties ot?teloteo controversies over religion in pohlie life, this ptojeet is ahoot the vest middle of Ametieo sitting between the aggressive seeulai?izei?s and the professional enti? seeulatizets. Thete may never have heeii a moral maj otity, hot Cold Wat Ameriea sorely contained an overwhelming concerned about the national soul.