Yet as a smoker, I can tell you that taxation does affect your choices.
Of course it does. So does the law. So does the existence of other people. So does nature.
I think zoning laws might be the most popular way of thwarting a religious group.
It may sometimes be a shame, but not necessarily or always.
It's not an altogether bad thing that safety regulations prevent the burning of witches in libraries, or the the throwing of sacrificial babies off high towers.
The government doesn't punish people and businesses with taxes?
If you consider having a harbour or highway or fire department punishments, then, yes. The government needs to collect revenues for all those services we take for granted and bitch about when they're not delivered to our satisfaction, just as we bitch about having to pay for them.
[appeasment of Anglican church]
I will give that some research and get back to you.
It was the state religion of the dominant settlers; the one whose persecution many of them had fled.
It's still the official state religion of England, though most of its teeth have been pulled.
Having a state religion has caused any number of civil wars and very unhappy marriages.
It extends to all religions, not just churches.
Eh? What's the difference between a church and a religion?
You tell me, would it be better to have the government's finger on religion, or off religion.
Neither. The intention was to keep religion out of government, so that democratic laws could be enacted, instead of imposing the morality of ancient Jews or medieval Catholics on a new, heterogeneous republic. Government fingers must necessarily intercede against any ritual or practice that harms the citizenry - even if it's just the honour killing of, or exorcism of devils from, or refusal of medical treatment to, one's own child.
I think taxation is a very effective tool in subverting anything in society.
In that case, Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, Muslims, wiccans and atheists should all be taxed the same, on their capital gains, investment property, house frontage, gasoline, liquor, gun and cigarette purchases - everything - rather than some groups being given a financial advantage over their fellow voters.
The less government involvement, the better.
That's not about religious freedom; that's a whole different problem: anarchism is not a registered religion afaik.