Religion and ...?

I’m kind of old fashioned. I tend to think the written word means what it says. Sometimes it gets a little muddled and the meaning becomes a little cloudy, but I still think the printed word tends to be a direct communication. It has meaning. It has effect. But over time it tends to change unintentionally.

Freedom of Religion is guaranteed by the Constitution and contained in the Bill of Rights as the very first item. This freedom ties directly to our nation’s history. People came to the New World so they could practice their religious beliefs freely without interference from government or crown. Although originally viewed as an escape from the Church of England, those who came to the New World for religious freedom spread to other parts of Europe as well.

Early settlers were a mixed group. Some came in groups of like-minded believers, like the Puritans. But other groups came as well. They founded settlements together and became homogenous communities. As such they did not always respect religious differences presented by outsiders moving into the village. So from the beginning the right to practice religion your way had problems.

Although the Constitution and the subsequent Bill of Rights helped clarify it, Freedom of Religion came to mean many things to different people. Some saw the Freedom as being free of religious authority in civic matters; no government could impose a set of religious beliefs on its citizens. Some felt that no one, especially a government, could restrict a person or group from practicing their religious beliefs as they saw fit. Still others felt the Freedom meant our nation was built on religious principles and thus pulled its morality and base of laws from the precepts of the faithful.

A mixed bag indeed! Although much has been researched, written and expanded upon over the following 200 years plus, clarity of religious freedom continues to befog public understanding. And the fog allows many people to manipulate and mislead public opinion on the matter. Especially politicians. And church leaders as well!

Let me attempt a little clarity here. Freedom of Religion to me means that I can believe and practice what I believe in the spiritual realm as long as I do not interfere with the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of another person. Thus this is a private matter. It is in the mind and conscience of me, no one else. Likeminded people may gather and join in their common beliefs and related practices as long as they do not interfere with the same for others.

If I and others believe a certain dogma, I am free to discuss it with others and spread the word. I do not have the right to bore, press or beat the point into the head of another person. I can even work up a frenzy among fellow believers and feel uplifted by our common belief, but at no time am I to push it onto other people.

Perhaps this is where ‘freedom from religion’ comes into view. Some people simply do not believe in spiritual matters. Others believe but not as fully or dogmatically as others. These people should not feel inferior to the believers. In the eyes of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, all are not only equal, but equally free to believe as they will.

Along the way Freedom of Religion also came to mean that no act of government could unreasonably restrict church formation or religious practices.

So, you and I can believe what we will; we can also practice what those beliefs require us to do; a non-believer is to be left alone without prejudice, and religious institutions are to be allowed to operate as they will.  All of this is guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights provided that the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of others is not abridged.

I write this because I perceive some current problems in our land based on the above. Here are some we can discuss in more detail in the future:

 

1. Are we a Christian nation? What exactly does that mean?
2. Freedom of Religion accommodates all spiritual belief systems: Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christian, atheism; Do we mean it? Do we make it happen?
3. If religious freedom is guaranteed why do we care if a candidate for public office is or is not religious, let alone what faith or denomination he/she ascribes to?
4. Why are religious “values” pressed into our laws?
1. Abortion is based on religious tenet; why then is this a matter for public law?
2. Homosexuality has root meaning in both religion and science; why is religion cited in place of science in this matter? Why is this a matter for law?
3. Does it matter if a presidential candidate is Mormon? Catholic? Why?
5. Loving one another; keeping our lives civil
6. Add your special topic here!

These things matter a great deal because they are infused in our thinking, our language, and our decision making logic structure. They are so finely ingrained in our being that we don’t even realize they are there until we look for them. They make up our personal gestalt.

I believe we have to be more forthcoming about these issues because our culture is becoming warped by the misuse of principles we all hold very dear. They deserve to be treated correctly, fairly, and historically.

More later; and to that I say Amen!

October 11, 2011