Why do only some people have freedom of religion in the US?

Question

Native Americans haven't been able to use peyote in their religious rites since the 1960's due to federal drug laws, even though they had done so for thousands of years prior to Christianities arrival in America. Mormons were forced to give up polygamy in the 1800's and territories STILL can't become states unless their constitutions explicitly outlaw polygamy. whats the deal? who gets to decide what religious practices are covered by the constitution and those that aren't.

i see this as clear evidence of the pervasive way in which Protestantism has regulated and legislated other "nonconformist" religions in North America

really? i know for a fact that mescaline, the active ingredient in peyote, if still highly illegal under federal law and is in the same class of drugs as LSD.

morgana -
because the US is 70% Christian. and 90% of that 70% is protestant. with nearly a quarter of all US Catholics residing in just ONE US state, Massachusetts...that’s why i say protestants and not Christians as a whole.

A.Mercer -
just do a cursory investigation on the history of the statehood of Utah. i have neither the time nor the space for a history lesson. you will find that congress would not allow them statehood until they made polygamy illegal, although they met all other requirements. as has been the norm ever since.

Answer 1

Well theoretically the constitution doesn't protect religious rites, it merely says what happens in your church stays in your church and should be free of government oversight. In a perfect world this would allow all of the things you mentioned occur, free of interference from the government. Its the fact that Christians have taken a predominant role in American society and are seeking to impose their religion on everyone, weather they be Mormon, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, Native American, Pagan, or Atheist. It all boils down to if you don't believe in Christ and the bible as the framework of how to live, you somehow are less of a citizen. Your religion becomes inferior to Christians, and therefore is swept under the rug and has its traditions destroyed. For a group of people that preaches how much Jesus loves all people, they surely narrow their definition of who is loved by god and who isn't an awful lot.

Answer 2

Freedom of religion does not mean that religion is free from law. Some religions have practiced human sacrifice in the past. That does not mean they are free to do it in the US. Some religions advocate discrimination against those of different religions. However, there are laws that prevent that from happening. There are some religions that promote suicide. Once again, that is not legal in the US.

I am curious, where does it say that a territory cannot become a state unless it has a constitution that outlaws polygamy. I do not recall that from the US constitution and it governs how states are formed. Maybe I missed that part.

Ummm, you are the one making the claim. Therefore it is your responsibility to back it up if you want it believed. You say this happened in the history of Utah? Maybe this was something that happened with Utah but it is not a current condition today. In fact, I looked over the state constitution of Hawaii and there does not seem to be any clause in there about polygamy. So you claim that territories have to have their constitutions outlaw polygamy seems to be busted.

Answer 3

You can have religious freedom but also laws of the land that have to be followed.

In regard to Rhio9's answer, there was a resolution passed in October concerning Islam and Ramadan. That happened before the Christmas resolution. Use the link he gave and put in H.R. 635, sponsored by Rep. Johnson (D-TX I believe). The Ramadan bill passed unanimously while the Christmas one did not. Does that mean the USA is now an islamic country?

H. Res. 635: Recognizing the commencement of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and...

God Bless.

Answer 4

Peyote some people here have said is available, within some rules.

Any ban on things like that may have much more to general social mores. These are often influenced by doctors and others who dislike drugs that damage our brains. Remember - heroine and opium and so on were once legal. Basically they became illegal because of their harmful effects on the individual and on other people. That decision was probably not much to do with religion.

Answer 5

Polygamy was started because Joseph Smith wasn't a faithful husband had was having affairs with other women. By legitimizing polygamy he legitimized his lecherous behavior. Google it you'll find the information of his behavior.

It is legal for the use of Peyote under the direction of the Native American Church.

Answer 6

You have posed a very interesting question. Rastafarians can't smoke grass either. There is suppose a separation of church and state. But, there is nobody to enforce the constitution because the justices are just a rubber stamp of the christian right. We are living in days kinda like 30's pre world war 2 era. Being politically correct will lead us to the next war and the people who stand up for what is right will be persecuted like the few Germans who stood up against Hitler. It's a good thing to know history, because it generally repeats itself.

Answer 7

You are so right. I am equally frustrated, put upon and discriminated against, people don't listen to me or take me seriously. I don't like giving money to churches and they all expect that tithing thing. My religion demands that everyone in the country give members one dollar and membership is limited, in the best interests of fellow citizens. One little dollar!!! But this darn government is not honoring the practice of my religion by forcing my fellow citizens to pay up - discrimination at its worse.

After reading other posts, I have to add that I too am sick of the awful Christians going door to door trying to stop us from believing in magic underwear, going to airports trying to sell us flowers and trying to get us all on spaceships to Kolob. They should go to their stupid churches and stay away from the sane people.

You forgot to mention, asker, that 100% of the 1/4 of all those Catholics who live in Mass. are all Protestant!!!!

Answer 8

I agree with the first paragraph. However, why just accuse Protestantism of this? The Catholic religion is just as at fault if not more. The church feels it has a direct line to God and makes rules and then changes them. One of the reason I don't believe in organized religion anymore. Example - for years my friend was panicked if she forgot and ate meat on Friday. All of a sudden, it's okay to eat meat on Friday, except for holy days. What, did God send down a memo to change this?

Answer 9

Democracy without an absolute separation of church and state. The popular crowd writes the rules.

Answer 10

A law, even a Constitutional law, is only useful if it's either enforced or complied with. Hec, China's constitution has freedom of religion in it too, but you don't see it over there. Printing something on paper doesn't make it so.