Do people in the U.S. have the right to freely choose and practice a religion, or to have no religion at all?
The First Amendment to the Constitution gives us freedom of religion. In actual practice, there appear to be two kinds of violations or distortions of this right. One by government, and the other by private parties.
The government has distorted this right, by reading into the First Amendment, a doctrine of the separation of church and state. The Founders of our nation, well aware of the limitations of religious expression in other countries, viewed the First Amendment as a protection against the establishment of a state religion.
It is not logical, to attempt to divorce religion, or more specifically, God, from our secular life. Examples abound. In the Declaration of Independance, there are several references to the reliance on God. Monuments, statues, and buildings in Washington are replete with passages from Scripture. Finally, our money has the motto “In God We Trust”
I believe that it is in the private sector where there has also been much distortion of the religious impuse. It occurs regularly in our schools. Examples, include such violations of our rights as, prohibiting carrying of a Bible in school, penalizing individual prayers during school hours, denying the right to wear crosses or other religious symbols, and not permitting the words “Jesus” or “God” in valedictory speeches.
It is significant, that when many of these incidents are taken to court against the schools, the plaintiffs win most often.
Just as any other right we have, citizens must be constantly vigilant to protect it.
Dick Brooks