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Essay about religious freedom in the united states
Essay about the freedom of religion in U.S
Essay about the freedom of religion in U.S
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: The United States of America was partly founded on the concept of religious freedom. This religious freedom allows each and every citizen to practice whatever religion they feel appropriate in their lives (to an extent, for example you cannot practice a religion that harms yourself or other individuals). What would happen in America if that religious freedom was taken away from us, and was then subsequently replaced with a National religion? This national religion would force all Americans to convert to this religion and thus strip away our constitutional right to religious freedom. It would also put more control in the state and far less control in the individuals of the country. This would more than likely lead to a theocratic state. If the country decided that we should have a national religion some people would argue that once we all conformed to this idea and no longer practiced other religions in this country, we would be a better place. There is also another thought that believes that it would ultimately destroy this country, and make it a place no longer desirable to live...
When it came down to the government during the convention of May 1776, instead of protecting our rights they had passed them down causing us to be under common law. If one had denied the Christian faith and went against everything it believed in, such as, “there are more Gods than one, or denies the Christian religion to be true, or the scriptures to be of divine authority, he is punishable on the first offence by incapacity to hold any office or employment ecclesiastical, civil, or military,” (Jefferson 176). This is what most people had thought about if you did not follow their religion. Thomas Jefferson believed that the wall between church and state should be very high in order to keep out and prevent hostile situations. Using an example from today’s news, many people get uncomfortable in the United Stated with the Muslim religion because of the previous horrific events that led to many cruel deaths in our history. By this, the way that we look at these people is forever changed because of the incidents and who knows if we will ever not be hostile with one another because of it. If church and state hadn’t been separated we may have not become a true democracy from what our developing country was seeming to lead towards. More people would not be as accepting of each other, and not that they are still not today, but I feel as if it may
A state-endorsed religion is a direct violation of every American citizen’s first amendment. The first amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” (Bill of Rights). The US Government has a duty to its people to uphold its constitutional laws that founded this country. If the US Government allows government building to post the Ten Commandment it loses its neutrality on religion because it will have to choose a version of the Ten Commandments that it will display, violating right of Americans.
Freedom of religion was first applied as a principle in the founding of the Maryland Colony in 1634. The Maryland Toleration Act, drafted by Lord Baltimore, provided:
"Prayer has been banished from schools and the ACLU rampages to remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Moreover, “Separation of Church and State” is nowhere found in the Constitution or any other founding legislation. Our forefathers would never countenance the restrictions on religion exacted today." -- Bill Flax, Forbes, 2011
Church-state relations in America has been widely discussed and hotly debated. One school of thought holds that the church should be absolutely separated from the state, while another holds that the church plays a moral role in state building and its sanctity, without which the state risks falling apart. In my discussion of the church-state relations, I state that the history of church-state relations has a Constitutional basis. Next, I discuss the two schools of thought in context and how they have shaped contemporary American political thought. Finally, I argue that the two schools of thought have a common ground. This is followed by a summary of my key arguments and a conclusion to my essay.
On January 1, 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Committee of the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut in which he stated:
Religious Freedom Restoration Act In this paper I will describe the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This Act was used to contradict the decision of the court case of Employment Division v. Smith, which allowed the government to forbid any religious act without giving a reason. The RFRA brought back the requirement that the government provide an adequate reason to forbid any religious act. The government once again had to show that the act was of compelling interest to the state.
My major area of study is Political Science, and even if you haven’t majored in political studies you know that there are few things left untouched by politics. Religion, of course, is no exception. Issues concerning religion are some of the most hotly contested topics in politics today. Consider as an example, the seemingly never-ending conflict in the Middle East over rights to Israel. It can be argued that this conflict has as much to do with politics as it does with religious beliefs. However, I think the way in which politics most closely relates to the study of world religions is in its creation of so- called “civil religion.”
America has been built on freedom throughout the years. Freedom to speak, freedom to choose, freedom to worship, and freedom to do just about anything you want within that of the law. America’s law has been designed to protect and preserve these freedoms. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. It assures citizens that the federal government shall not restrict freedom of worship. It specifically prohibits Congress from establishing an official, government supported church. Under The First Amendment, the federal government cannot require citizens to pay taxes to support a certain church, nor can people be prohibited from worshipping in any way they see fit. However, if a certain religion recommends a practice that is contrary to public morals, such as polygamy, Congress may prohibit such a practice (Weidner, Daniel, 2002). The people of the United States also have the right to assemble peaceably under the First Amendment. The only restriction comes from the word peaceably. Assembly may not be prevented, as long as the proper authorities have reasonable assurance that the meeting will be peaceful (Weidner, Daniel, 2002).
...s both ways: Not only is the government kept out of religious matters, but religion is, likewise, kept out of government matters. There would be a true "separation of church and state." Religious freedom has always been an important part of American history. It is the concept, which originally divided us from England, and without it, this country might not exist today. Religious freedoms, along with several other freedoms -- which are just as important -- make America unique. It allows citizens to believe what they want to believe, and practice what they want to practice without any pressure from the government. Yet, religious freedom does not constitute civil disobedience. The fact still remains that Americans are privileged in that they have this opportunity called religious freedom. It is an important part of what indeed makes this country "the land of the free."
What is freedom of religion? Today people speak freely about their own views over specific topics regarding what they believe and what they think is the truth. Along with everything in life there are limits and laws that the government of the United States has established. Let’s take a look at the definition of freedom, what the government says about our freedom, how it is acted out and portrayed in America, and a few case studies regarding freedom of religion.
Just like in Europe and many other parts of the world, religion has been on the decline for many years now in America. From the historical point of view, religion in America is very different from what it was in Europe. The first amendment of the American constitution forbids the state to establish an official church of the state. In other words, secularization is the very premise that America is built upon. In many European countries it is the complete opposite as in for example Sweden where the state church has played a huge role for centuries, and where the church was separated from the state only a few decades ago
Religion has always been a topic that makes people uncomfortable, it has sparked wars, legal cases and arguments. This is a controversial issue that reigns havoc in many countries and because of this American citizens are afforded religious freedom through the US constitution. The goal of the United States government has never been to make our nation irreligious but to uphold the values of religious freedom.
“If we ever forget that we are “One nation under God,” then we will be a nation gone under” -- Ronald Reagan (BrainyQuote). Ronald Reagan makes a great point. America was created as a place for religious freedom. Now that freedom is beginning to be stripped away from us. One of the biggest reasons is due to the argument concerning whether or not religion should be allowed in school. It is believed, by many, that allowing education and religion to coincide is going against the first amendment. This argument is one that dates back to the eighteen hundreds, and has yet to be resolved. It is an American citizen’s right to freely express and learn about religion wherever they please, including the public school system.
America was founded on the idea of freedom. This, of course, includes religious thought, and Americas are free to believe as they want. Americans have always had the freedom to worship as they please in a peaceful manner. Such a right has never been infringed upon (on the federal level that is) and in this way the American culture is free. To reiterate, humankind has had difficulty predicting the future of religion in America; but it can be seen where the religious population is going into the future and the impact it has in our culture, and the culture to come. Only time will tell the truth behind the future of religion in America.