Separation of Church and State

“Separation of Church and State,”  read the following article:

• Far More Than Atheism
  (This article discusses and defines “secular humanism.”)

“Separation of Church and State,’ watch the following videos:

• French Secularism
  (This video discusses the rise of secularism in France. The transcript is available on the landing page.)
• Wall of Separation – trailer
  (This video discusses separation of church and state in the U.S.)
• Wall of Separation First 5 Minutes
  (This video discusses separation of church and state in the U.S.)

Discuss separation of church and state in France and in America:
Should religion play a role in the United States Government? Does religion already play a role? If so, what role?  How do debates about secularism in France compare to those in America?

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.