Religious Freedom 

   “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.) 

   Ten years ago the bishops of the United States designated this week as Religious Freedom Week, a time to recognize and promote our freedom of religion and its free exercise guaranteed by the First Amendment.  This right is under serious threat in our nation today.

   Nothing in this amendment mentions “freedom of worship” or “freedom from religion,” yet this is what our government claims was the intent.  They are wrong, the wording is unambiguous and very clear, it guarantees the right to exercise our religion, both privately and publicly.

   Freedom of worship would indicate that worship is a private affair.  Of course we have freedom of worship; done in private no one need ever know of it.  But that isn’t what “free exercise” means.  Free exercise means we have the right to express our religion, our faith, in all aspects of our life without interference from government intervention.

   Freedom from religion is a nonsensical concept.  No one can force religion upon someone.  Even if it were required by law, it would be a show, not true faith, or religion.

   The question is why would our government want to dilute the first amendment of the constitution?  Political expediency sometimes needs quiet acquiescence rather than free exercise.  When the desires of the majority override the rights of the minority we no longer have a democratically elected republic but a dictatorship bowing to the whims of those in power.

   The purpose of our government is to protect the rights of all, not just those considered “politically correct”.  Without that protection we are a nation at risk of devolving into a banana republic bowing to the whims of those in power.