It is my witness that religion and government in God are separate and distinct and supposed to function separately — that a religious state is an abomination. Church and government both exist so God can exercise them in different capacities, fulfilling different roles, to serve the people from different perspectives while also providing a means for people to serve each other.
Religion is not to have dominion over government, neither government dominion over religion. The US Constitution reflects this by providing protection to the government from religion so that the government not fall under the control and influence of religion.
History has shown us that religious states most often err grievously by changing the nature of religion, turning it into an abomination against the nature of God and, in him, individual freedom.
Individual freedom is one of the most necessary components of the gospel in mankind's relationship with God, enabling a relationship in which people are free to grow and develop so as to come closer to him.
Excluding religion from government does not remove God from government. Government is established in him and born of realities in him the same as religion.
We don't need the Ten Commandments in our classrooms. We need a government that demonstrates God's way of service so that it serves the people and provides a means for people to serve each other — exemplifying the gospel. Once we gain a witness of this, it allows a faithful person true peace.
A Wider Witness
The other very important caveat of this witness is that media and entertainment are so too born of realities in God, separate and distinct, likewise for the purpose of bringing about God's service among humankind while also enabling people to serve each other.
So — there is not simply a church established in God to serve the people and fulfill God. In God there is a church, a government, a media, and a "Hollywood" established in and of him, each to remain separate and distinct from the other for the purpose of serving the people, fulfilling their needs from different perspectives.
We as human beings naturally establish these social institutions even as uncivilized tribes in the jungles of New Guinea, because they are part of God's realities that are unspoken but affect us anyway. They are his presence in us without us knowing he is there. Because they are very effective ways of meeting our needs.