"Why doesn't anyone understand the 1st Amendment?". . A question you should be asking yourself. Probably willfull ignorance, I'd guess.. . The phrasing is, indeed, open to interpretation, and people asked the Founding Fathers, who were involved in drafting the words, what they meant.. . Those Founding Fathers explained, in long and painful detail that the intent and final product was intended to create a wall of separation between government and religion, to the mutual benefit of both.. . Do readings of their correspondence between each other and other parties, read about actions taken when they were in office and comments they made.. . Read the Treaty of Tripoli, which was passed unanimously, without dissent, and was published in the papers of the time without outcry or reprecussion to those who ratified it.