Religon
To what degree should religious practices be legally protected? What organizations or practices should be covered by our freedom of religion? When should the government be able to impose restrictions on this freedom? To what degree should individuals and private organizations be able to restrict religious practices? What role should religion play in government?
These opinions are sorted from the most- to the least- influence that they would give to religion in government and society:
These opinions are sorted from the most- to the least- influence that they would give to religion in government and society:
Statutory laws should not explicitly endorse religious institutions.
The government is obligated, as per the first amendment, not to prohibit the free exercise of religion. Since there is no exception for government officials, we have to assume that people in positions of government power are just as free to exercise their religion as anybody else, provided that they do not pass laws specifically respecting their own religion. As a result, people in government positions should be free to publicly practice their religion in any way they see fit, and, in the case of congressmen, even write those practices into law, as long as they don’t explicitly endorse the religious establishment itself.
The government is obligated, as per the first amendment, not to prohibit the free exercise of religion. Since there is no exception for government officials, we have to assume that people in positions of government power are just as free to exercise their religion as anybody else, provided that they do not pass laws specifically respecting their own religion. As a result, people in government positions should be free to publicly practice their religion in any way they see fit, and, in the case of congressmen, even write those practices into law, as long as they don’t explicitly endorse the religious establishment itself.
Religion, broadly defined, should be kept out of government entirely.
The constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” We have to define religion as broadly as possible here, since limiting the definition of “religion” would require Congress to respect the establishments it narrowly defines as “religion.” An acceptably broad definition of “religion” would encompass any personally held system of belief.
Because many of these belief systems are mutually exclusive, the only way to keep the government from infringing upon any of them is to remove them entirely from government practice. The only time it is acceptable to limit the practice of religion is to prevent a person from respecting an establishment of religion on behalf of the government (which would violate the mandate not to respect an establishment of religion).
The constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” We have to define religion as broadly as possible here, since limiting the definition of “religion” would require Congress to respect the establishments it narrowly defines as “religion.” An acceptably broad definition of “religion” would encompass any personally held system of belief.
Because many of these belief systems are mutually exclusive, the only way to keep the government from infringing upon any of them is to remove them entirely from government practice. The only time it is acceptable to limit the practice of religion is to prevent a person from respecting an establishment of religion on behalf of the government (which would violate the mandate not to respect an establishment of religion).
: |