The Establishment Clause and Religious Freedom In America

In America today, there are those who seek to impose either a Christian theocracy or establish freedom “from” religion as the new social, legal and cultural  standard for America. Many businesses are owned by Christians with Christian employees, but cater to citizens from every background imaginable. Yet, some don’t like the fact a business being founded and run by Christians and operated according to Christian moral standards. What’s a person who objects to that to do?  It’s very simple, if you don’t agree with a business and their policies, don’t be a patron of that business and go elsewhere. But don’t impose your personal values on everyone else restricting their rights to accommodate you. The law establishes the “standard” values for our society so everyone gets reasonable respect and equal treatment.

If a business is founded on Christian values and run by Christian owners, then their values and policies should be respected as long as they do not violate the standards set in our laws and the US Constitution is the foundation of all our laws.

The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another. It also prohibits the government from unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion. But it also prevents the government from restricting the free exercise of religious expression and practice both privately and publicly.

“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.” Pay close attention to the second half of the Establishment Clause. Most liberals and Atheists and those who proclaim ‘Freedom From Religion” always ignore that part or find some way of dismissing it to make ‘separation of church and state” mean things never intended by our founding fathers.