Reply #22: Freedom OF Religion vs. Freedom FROM Religion.

[johnaries]

I'm sure most of you have heard this argument: "Freedom of Religion doesn't mean Freedom From Religion". I had a conservative friend make this argument once, and we argued the point for several minutes until I realized that his definition of "From" was different from mine.

While I considered "From" to mean that if I chose not to practice any Religion no one could force me to. His definition was based on the idea that Courts were trying to STOP people from practicing ANY religion. Apparently, this is the message that the Religious Right is putting out.

I sent him this link:
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa012901b.htm
which gives the 3 tests that the Courts use to determine if an action violates Church/State Separation. I pointed out that in the Lemon test it says "The practice either promotes OR INHIBITS religion".

He shut up after that.

But maybe this is the message we need to get out to the public. We don't want to END Religion, we just don't want the gevernment to engage in practices that either promote OR inhibits religion.