The Reason for Freedom of Religion Essay -- United States Constitution

Religious influence in the adoption and development of law is contradictory to the structure of the American government and way of life. We are all familiar with the phrase; â€Å"My fellow Americans†, these are words we probably have heard many times before, Presidents have uttered them in addressing the nation, they always have the same connotation every time they are spoken, that all of us are Americans, notice please that the statement is not My fellow Christians. That’s because being an American does not automatically indicate being a Christian, one of the reasons this is such a great country is that we have specific rights guaranteed by our government, such as the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, freedom of the press and as important as any†¦.Freedom of religion. I am not a religious person, I cannot remember a time when I ever truly was, even when the central component of my parents teaching and family interaction was religious belief. I never felt it was logical to proclaim unfettering belief; it just wasn’t an investment I could make in good conscience. I agree somewhat with Karl Marx who wrote: Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions.1 though I do not believe the removal of religion is key to alleviating the condition, It is my conjecture that religious practice will di... ...r be allowed to corrupt, government in order to protect religion and liberty. And in the hopes that never again will â€Å"You shall have no other gods before me† (Exodus 20:3)5 be used as reasoning for ethnic and religious cleansing. Works Cited 1. Marx, Karl, and Joseph J. O'Malley. Critique of Hegel's 'philosophy of Right'. Cambridge [Eng.: University Press, 1970. Print. 2. "Code of Ur-Nammu." Online liberty library.org. Liberty Fund, 05Dec2010. Web. 6 Dec 2010. . 3. Mount, Steve. "The United States Constitution." USConstitution.net. U.S. Constitution.net, APR 1997. Web. 5 Dec 2010. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1 4. Baroja, Julio Caro. The World of the Witch. 1st ed. 1. America: Phoenix Press, 2001. 125. Print. 5. Exodus 20:3 The Bible King James Version