Church and State: How Mixing Religion and Politics Corrupts Both

In this episode, Sam sits down with documentary filmmaker Andrew Linn to explore his powerful new documentary on the true origins of the separation of church and state. Through the story of Roger Williams—the courageous Puritan pastor who founded Rhode Island as the first colony to enshrine freedom of religion in its charter—Andrew unpacks the historical confusion between "freedom of religion" and "freedom from religion." They discuss how Williams fought against religious persecution by fellow Christians in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the dangers of state-controlled religion versus a vibrant church influencing society without coercion, and why returning to any form of theocracy would betray America's founding principles and repeat Europe's bloody history of kings and queens weaponizing faith. The conversation also tackles modern shifts in conservative circles, Christian nationalism, cancel culture, civil debate, and the spiritual battles playing out in today's polarized world. - Watch the full documentary at churchandstatedoc.com or on YouTube, Fossum.tv, and Redeem TV.- To view my deals, visit: https://mydeals.page/7fu7  - Want to be a guest on Shades of Jade Podcast? Send Samantha Jade Wooldrik a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/shadesofjadepod - Music: Mozart Horn Concerto No. 4, K. 495 – III. Rondo: Allegro vivace, performed by Dennis Brain (public domain recording from Archive.org)