Freedom of Religion

First Amendment - Freedom of Religion

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.

(Notice religion is placed before press and the right to assemble.  A position of prime importance.)

The religion component of the Amendment is clear and has two components.

1. The Federal Government shall not establish or mandate a national religion (Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist....)
   

2. The Federal Government must not prohibit the free practice of religion.
   
   

Consistent with the other amendments in the Bill of Rights, the 1st Amendment limits the power of the federal government.

By preventing Congress from establishing an official church of America, the Amendment prevents both governmental funding of a specific church, and more importantly prevents any federal laws requiring citizens to join a specific denomination (Sects in colonial times).

Citizens were free to join (on not join) the church of their choosing, whether it be Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist ora any other denomination.  It would also apply to non-Christian faiths such as Judaism or Muslim.

The 1st Amendment does NOT ban the federal government from being Christian, or following the God of the Bible.

The real object of the amendment was not to countenance much less to advance Mahometanism or Judaism or infidelity by prostrating Christianity but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects and to prevent any national ecclesiastical establishment which should give to an hierarchy the exclusive patronage of the national government. 

- Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story. 1833.

In 1789, the same year the First Amendment was ratified, both the House and Senate appointed official chaplains, proving the Founders’ belief that Christian expression in government did NOT violate the prohibition against establishing a national church. 

For example, The state of Minnesota's constitution states the people are grateful to God.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty.....

(Every state constitution contains language such as this.  See the book for a full listing.)

Had the 1st Amendment truly banned God, the state of Minnesota would never have been admitted to the Union with their state constitution.

Chapter 13 of The Bible and Constitution Made America Great provides much more information on Freedom of Religion.