How did we get all this from the First Amendment?

Question

How did we get to where we are today in regards ro religion?
Amendment I
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.

Since the left of this country has taken us closer to freedom FROM religion than of: How do they misinterpret that amendment so. Free exercise is not limited to the church only. How is it that we cannot freely exercise religion in schools - how do you make that conclusion? Given the tyranny that the orignators of this country were leaving, I have to believe that they were intent on preventing a state run religion, not a religion run state. There is a difference there.
Can the liberals not understand that everytime you protect the right of an aetheist you impead the rights of a believer. Why do we always pander to the minority

The minority are those who want freedom from religion. Freedom of religion does not endager their rights at all, but they are imposing their minority view. Look at the Korean war memorial cross in San Diego, they sued to have it taken down. "In God We Trust" was removed from the nickel on the cover of theyearbook at liberty elemetary here in Texas. We cannot recite the pledge fo allegance at school, Washington state is haveing a prayer at sporting events battle for their high schools, student led bible studies are being forced to elave campus, kids are not being allowed to bring bibles to school. You tell me that the right of the majorty should not be protected. That is democracy, majority rule. This country was based on Judeo-Chrisitan ethics. The basic ideas of freedom and liberty are derived from the belief in God and his creations being equal in his eyes. If you remove God from government you step closer to communism and take away equality.

Answer 1

the lefty lawyer mindset is to use to semantics to avoid truth...in order to match their desire of truth to the real truth....so I guess you could say they lie to themselves and believe the lies

Answer 2

Nobody has banned free exercise of religion in schools! What is banned is trying to use the power of schools to impose religion by pretending that it is free exercise, for instance, requiring every student to pray along with a teacher who is exercising his freedom to pray. That's crazy.

Now, sometimes school administrators do make the mistake you're talking about, like banning the possession of Bibles by students in school. In those cases they are mixing up the establishment and free exercise part. But that's wrong, and it is fixed by the courts. You are making the same mistake, only in reverse.

It is very clear from the plain words of the First Amendment (the "establishment" part) that the Founders wanted to keep religion from running the state as well as the other way around. There is no way to seperate the two - if religion controlled the state, it would be a violation of individual religious freedom. So a teacher can't require a student to practice any religion just as he cannot forbid it. Pretty simple.

As for the idea that protecting the rights of one person impedes the rights of another, that's preposterous and illogical. Individual rights protect everyone, they don't compete. That kind of thinking is why you're so confused and why you have to come here and ask silly questions.

Answer 3

Yes, the establishment clause and the free exercise clause do conflict, but the pandering to the minority as you put it is because the founders of the country wrote the first amendment to protect the rights of the minority, more so than the majority, since it is the minority's rights that are vunerable to be take away by the majority and not vice versa. This came from the tyranny where the more powerful would impose their views on the weaker and the weaker had no other choice but to flee. The same principles apply to this country where the majority is more powerful.

Answer 4

The founders were trying to prevent a state religion AND a theocracy, since a theocracy will eventually prevent the free exercise of religion.

Answer 5

But every student in school is not required to pray, that to was choice but now those that want to can not, here in Texas they even took the prayer out before a football game. I f you believe in choice then why are the kids that want to not allowed to pray.

Answer 6

Your understanding of the First Amendment is greater than any liberal. Congrats!