Why is American freedom of religion suppose to be freedom from religion?

Question

The ACLU and so many left minded types seem to want religion out of everything. What about the rights of the religious to have religion in their public schools, or lets be more direct in our example. Say a city elects every one to the city council that is Christian and they want a public nativity scene or to say a prayer before meetings. Can't they have freedom "of" religion? Why does it have to be "no" religion for those that hate it?

Answer 1

because any bias would be freedom infringement.

Sorry you hate it but it is an old principle that most counties have. Division of church and state.

Answer 2

The only reason I see is they hate being reminded of morals. They forget that separation of church and state does not mean that the state cannot also be religious. I noticed that the ACLU has not jumped onto the case of the valedictorian that wanted to say her faith helped her through school and had her microphone cut of by the school officials. It seems freedom of speech only applies to speech they approve of.

A lot of people have grabbed the first amendment and just totally misrepresent what it says and have no clue why it is there. It is there to make sure the government cannot tell you what religion you will be part of and that you cannot be punished for your faith. The constitution was written at a time when governments would heard your family out in the streets and shoot you if you were catholic or protestant, depending on who was in charge of the government at that time. But they always intended for the government to be religious, which is why you swear on a Bible in court or take public office.

The focus on schools is because these anti-religious sorts want to change the young generation and hopefully wipe out religion all together in the future. You will notice other religions are hoping on the Christian band wagon because they know if Christianity fails, they are next. It is naive to think that Judaism, Islam, Hindu, etc... will not become the next focuses of these groups.

Answer 3

Two clauses: There are two quite distinct clauses in the First Amendment pertaining to religion.

1. Establishment Clause: First, we have the Establishment Clause. That clause prohibits any law "respecting an establishment of religion." The main purpose of the Establishment Clause is to prevent government from endorsing or supporting religion.

2. Free Exercise: The second clause is the Free Exercise Clause. That clause bars any law "prohibiting the free exercise of religion." The main purpose of the Free Exercise Clause is to prevent the government from outlawing or seriously burdening a person's pursuit of whatever religion (and whatever religious practices) he chooses.

B. Applicable to states: Both the Establishment and the Free Exercise Clauses by their terms only restrict legislative action by Congress. However, both clauses have been interpreted to apply also to the states, by means of the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause. Therefore, you don't have to worry whether the government action in question is federal or state - the same standards apply to each. [599]

C. Conflict: Occasionally, the Establishment and Free Exercises Clauses seem to conflict on particular facts. That is, a religious group may be asking for some government benefit; if the benefit is given, there may be an Establishment Clause problem. Yet if the benefit is not gven, this may be a burdening of religion. When the two clauses seem to conflict, the Free Exercise Clause dominates. In other words, if a particular benefit or accommodation to religion is arguably required by the Free Exercise Clause, then when government grants that accommodation or benefit it is not violating the Establishment Clause.

Example: A public university makes meeting rooms available to all sorts of student groups. If the university allows religious groups to use the room, there might be an Establishment Clause problem. But if it doesn't allow religious groups to use the rooms, while allowing non-religious groups to do so, there might be a Free Exercise Clause problem. Consequently, it will not be an Establishment Clause violation for the university to allow the religious groups to use the rooms.

Answer 4

Read the first amendment. Says specifically:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

Our government cannot promote a religion in a public place. Furthermore, even if 99% of the people want religion in a public place and just 1% doesn't, it is the constitutional right of the 1% to be free from having a religious ideal forced on them.

Answer 5

DEAR
please let me tell you is better this way,who wants religion classes can go to church and have the priest preach every week end
but don't make non religious people to do that if they don't want to
i my country there is religion is school and in politics ,but there are also special religious schools too
so why do my child have to have his exams in religion when is not a believer??
why do i have to pay taxes and the state keeps this religious school from the tax money the religious pay nothing??why do they force the shops to be closed in week ends??.no buses .no flights??no movie theater ?/everything is closed when i have some time to spend out side of the house together with my family??
why don't i have my human simple right to enjoy my life like any other working people in democratic countries ??
because the religious play the politics and a lot of money here,so the government don't do nothing
and we are DEMOCRATS i wish there was a big country only for religious people and live there every one like his religion says and respect each other all the religious people
i

Answer 6

I don't believe anyone is telling you that you can't practice your religion. That would be "freedom from religion". Freedom of religion means that everyone is free to practice their religion, without preference or prejudice.

Using the public square example you give:
There is no problem with Christians putting up religious displays at the holidays, as long as it is done without preference or prejudice. That means that a Kwanzaa display, a Hanukkah display, a winter solstice display, etc.
must also be allowed and given equal space. Freedom must be applied to all equally.

The fight is not about being anti-Christian, it is about being tolerant and inclusive. How would you feel if a group of Satan-worshipers moved into your town? Should these people be allowed to have their philosophy taught in the public schools, along-side Christianity, Islam, and Judaism? It's best to keep all religion out, rather than allow all religions in.

Religion is best taught at Church and at home, anyway.

Answer 7

In making sure America is following the Establishment Clause, which essentially says that the government can't officially sanction a particular religion as the national faith, they have unfortunately trampled all over the Free Exercise Clause, which states that government can't get in the way of people who wish to practice their religion. From the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

How a public display respresents an official state-sponsored religion is beyond me, but to allow displays for one faith and not another would be a different story.

Answer 8

in fact this is correct you can do this only you lose all federal money grants and support.THIS is if your state constitution allows this.DOES and when will saint paul minnesota have to change its name and drop the saint .this is going to happen because i can not smoke pot when you started to pass laws making freedom of choice illegal it went way beyond your wildest dreams .fat people will need to diet and lose wieght or be fired like smokers are today in a few short yers cause in the media we have an obecety epedemic in america soon companies will have weight restrictions due to health care costs associated with fat people and you laugh at me today for beleiving this . itold people years ago that religion would no longer be in schools or any where much longer and it is happening.Soon churches will have to take down crosses or any type of sign that denotes that it is a place of worship if located with-in some many feet of a public road in eye sight because we do not allow people to displey information publicly that may offend someone.porno laws have lead to this and mark my words people are trying to have all signs of religion removed from public veiw .So america reaps what it sows when you pass one law you lose a freedom and we have passed thousands and as time goes by instead of freedom we will have a police state .peope in the twentys and thirtys warned of hitlers power over the people and america is headed there fast not because of bush or clinton but its own divided sense of what freedom is and so we soon will have none wake up america before it is to late .

Answer 9

America is accepting of all religions except Christianity. We Christians are the ones having to fight on every battle front known to man. Everyone else, well lets just say its okay for them to trash the religion that this country was founded on.

Answer 10

Nope, just Freedom from Christianity. You can't say jack about "The Religion of Peace" but anything Christian-themed (even fricking Christmas) is somehow verboten.

Answer 11

No that is not what they are all about. What the ACLU wants is for a country to be about freedom. Freedom to choose what religion you want to be, no Christianity is not the only choice out there. But thanks for playing slipperly slope. Your prize is the truth.