Bill of Rights - Amendment I (Updated from 7/13/2015)

 

Amendment I (1791) 

"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."

 

James Wilson once said, "Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine.  Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants.  Indeed, these two sciences run into each other."  He knew a little about law as he was one of the six original justices appointed to the Supreme Court by George Washington, this after being a member of the Continental Congress, in 1776, and helping to produce our Constitution.

And, although our first President seemed to have little use for the church, or its ceremonies, George Washington stated, "Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society."  Noah Webster said, "The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."  Many of our Constitution's signatories and the framers of our nation, our Founding Fathers, knew the importance of religion and morality.

There is much historical debate about whether this country was founded on Christian principles.  The debate continues, to this day, and yet we constantly ignore the obvious.  Our country was, in fact, based on Christian moral principles.  But our Leaders were intelligent enough to leave religion out of government, as there must be a separation of church and state.  Mark 12:17 may have guided them, "And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

In this country, you have a right to practice peacefully your spiritual beliefs.  You also have the right to your peaceful practice of believing in absolutely nothing, if this is your path.  Morality is, by definition, those principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.  Abrahamic religions would tout the rules for a moral life outlined in scripture.  Buddhists might defer to their masters of philosophy.  Those not of a religious tilt might point out that morality is rooted in Greek philosophers, like Thales, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  All would be right, to their own belief.  And what is right is precisely the point of morality.  It is, after all, what most peaceful, civilized societies base their laws upon.

We tend to forget that everybody has the right to live, work, and worship, or not, in peace.  For some reason, we think it necessary to try and force our beliefs on each other.  Our ego seems to get in the way of our good sense to the point where religious icons are removed from public buildings, and atheists find themselves creating a symbol of their own religion of non-belief.  Coming soon! The Church of Atheism! Being built on a street corner near you!  Sound farfetched?  

The ego is a peculiar bedfellow; it often runs contrary to our, particular, philosophy.  We will continue this insanity of calling each other out on issues we feel violate our personal beliefs. The government courts will continue to make judgments that curtail our rights of peaceful belief, speech, and expression, simply because someone is offended.  The Constitution is sooo doomed.

But a Constitution of Government once changed from freedom, can never be restored.  Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

-- John Adams

I leave you with something to chew on from The Legal Information Institute of Cornell University Law School.  Links are underlined and I have highlighted interesting points to ponder, in red:

"The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. See U.S. Const. amend. I. Freedom of expression consists of the rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and the implied rights of association and belief. The Supreme Court interprets the extent of the protection afforded to these rights. The First Amendment has been interpreted by the Court as applying to the entire federal government even though it is only expressly applicable to Congress. Furthermore, the Court has interpreted, the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as protecting the rights in the First Amendment from interference by state governments. See U.S. Const. amend. XIV."

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com