The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights states: “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.”
This amendment also guarantees my freedom from religion.
I am not an irreligious person, but I do not want my neighbors’ religious views forced on me. The beginning of the first sentence, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” prohibits Congress from establishing a national religion. This statement refutes the basis for Christian Nationalism. Right there is the first line of the First Amendment.
The U.S. Army Chaplain Corps has established the ability in policy and practice to allow American service members to follow multiple faiths.
This proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Act supported by Christian nationalists and evangelical Christians only allows religious groups to discriminate against others. The ability to not provide a service in the public business sector because of different beliefs between service provider and customer is un-American. If you are a business in the public sector, your business is not allowed to discriminate. If you own a public wedding cake bakery, you are not allowed to discriminate.
Again, un-American.
Remember the deputy county clerk in Kentucky who would not approve the marriage license of a homosexual couple based on her religious views against homosexual marriage? The lady was divorced and remarried multiple times. Here is a verse in the Bible and in the wedding vows: “What God brings together, let no man take asunder.”
She was a straight hypocrite and sinner against her God and her faith.
There are numerous reported incidents showing supposed Christians discriminating against others. Jesus did not discriminate. He stated that all people of the world should hear his words.
This proposed bill of rights for religious freedom will not end and only involve hetero and homosexual Americans. This will extend to protestant versus Catholic in the form that my religion is truer than yours. This will involve the numerous Christian denominations discriminating against others. There already are discriminations between Jews, Christians and Muslims, between rich and poor.
Discrimination is un-American.
Timothy Schmidt
Napavine
