Al Sharpton, one of the Democratic candidates for president, has been an ordained minister since he was nine years old - and he's a Pentecostal as well, the same religion as Pat Robertson (though some sources list his religion as "Baptist"). With religious credentials like that, one might expect him to take a very conservative line when it comes to the separation of church and state, but that would be very mistaken.

Sharpton writes in The Boston Globe in a response to the question about whether federal courts have gone too far in removing religious symbols from public areas:

No. The courts have not gone too far in maintaining the separation of church and state in public places. Our public places should not be used to put forth any particular religious viewpoint or message. Christian symbols and language have their place in many venues, homes and places of worship, but should not be placed in government buildings or public property any more than symbols of other faiths such as Islam or Judaism have any place in our courtrooms and public areas.

That's a very progressive position - certainly not one shared by Pentecostals like Pat Robertson. It's a shame that this Christian position doesn't get the same attention as the anti-separation positions articulated by members of the Christian Right.

Read More:

• Democratic Candidates on Church & State
• Secularism 101
• Separation of Church and State 101