[mwewe]

>>can I infer that religion is the root basis of our economic and governing principles?

You can assume that religion is the basis for laws, yes. You will find laws that go against some religious beliefs - these are the exception rather than the rule.

>>If that is the case, why are so many, so eager to abandon religion?

Not to my knowledge, they are not. It may seem that way upon a cursory review of mass media, but look underneath and religions are very healthy, thank you.

>>Why is there a constant clamoring for the separation of "church" and "state"?

This is not a universal trend. In Nigeria, for example, northern states are getting closer to the Islamic religion. In the US too, the President has made steps to move the State closer to religious activities in schools.

However, in the West, your statement generally carries some weight. And there are various reasons for this:

- religious leaders are not trusted to follow the law (although it is largely founded on religious principles)
- nations increasingly have more than one religious group, and therefore people are uncomfortable with one particular religious outfit controlling the agenda

None of this indicates irrelevance of religion in today's society.