In one episode of the popular political drama “The West Wing”, fictional President Josiah Bartlet managed to address one of the most difficult issues that this country faces on a regular basis- the separation between Church and State.  The episode, Take This Sabbath Day, addresses the morality of the death penalty.  President Bartlet needed to make one of the most difficult decisions, to spare the life of a man who committed murder, or to execute him.  The question that members of the executive branch face is whether to execute someone, which is legal, or to put their own morals and religious beliefs ahead of a court ruling.

President Bartlet had been looking for a reason to commute the sentence that people would accept that was not related to religion.  He spoke to a Quaker, a Jew (who had spoken with his Rabbi), and the Pope, but understood that he must respect the decision of the courts unless there is reasonable doubt. He also understood that people would not accept a Catholic president commuting a sentence because of his personal religion.  The rules of Catholicism, Judaism, and Quakerism gave President Bartlet reasons to want to commute the sentence. However, when it came down to it, the ruling by the judges ruled over the moral and religious conscience of President Bartlet.

With a country full of diversity, it is important for the courts to be able to fulfill their roles rather than a president take his religion and apply it to a situation.  If presidents use their religion to support their political beliefs they would be allowing religion to take over the country and would ultimately lead to the creation of a national religion, which would go against the First Amendment.  Simon Cruz, the character in question, was found guilty of murder, and the president chose to stand firm on his belief on separation of powers. In the end, he recognized the importance of keeping his own personal religion out of politics, an important precedent for future presidents