It is always possible that Christians may decide to resist bad laws or to resist the state's intervention in religion or its demands for political support. Jesus' idea of the kingdom of this world as being different from the kingdom of God is eternally valid. Separation is essential to permit voluntarism to flourish. It is essential also to recognize that God is not a tribal or national god. Christianity has a world mission that is compromised by or suffers from identification with one nation's military occupation of other nations, or with a nation's unjust laws or lack of respect for human rights.
Separation prevents the government from determining church policy, whether directly or indirectly.
Separation does not permit churches to seek special privileges from government that are denied to minority religious groups and to non-religious citizens. Churches are healthier and stronger if they assume responsibility both for financing their own programs and for stimulating their members to accept that responsibility. Separation does not permit government agencies such as the public schools to hold religious celebrations or prayer services and thus discriminate against or otherwise offend those in a captive audience whose religious convictions are different. In that way, separation prevents the development of divisiveness, antagonism to religion or to its proponents. By operating independently of government aid, the churches deny to government the imposition of compulsory taxes on believers and non-believers alike.