(RNS) About half of Americans consider freedom of religion to be a top legal guarantee but a similar percentage think separation of church and state has become too severe or is not necessary in this country, a new survey indicates.

Asked which legal guarantee other than freedom of speech is most important, 52 percent of Americans cited freedom of religion, reported the Council for America's First Freedom. The Richmond, Va.-based nonprofit organization, which is dedicated to promoting religious liberty, released the results of its first commissioned survey Sept. 14.

Nineteen percent of respondents chose freedom of the press, while 16 percent said right to bear arms.

Asked how they regard the separation of church and state, 49 percent said it was important to keep religion and government separated. Another 29 percent said church-state separation has become "too severe and needs to be less strictly interpreted" while 20 percent said "there is really no need to separate church and state" in the country today.