First Amendment To The U.S. Constitution Reads:
“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.”
“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.”
The original intention of the First Amendment regarding questions of religion was to leave it in the hands of the states and not the federal government. It was intended to stop the federal government from establishing a “State religion” similar to that of the European Theocracies. However, since the 1950′s, the Federal Government has exceeded their Constitutional Powers and worked to “Limit the Free Expression of Religious Faith” throughout the land. The expression,”Separation of Church and State” is not in the U.S. Constitution. It came from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to The Baptists in Danbury, CT. who were concerned about their Religious Freedom. Before that, Roger Williams ..founder of “Providence, Rhode Island, also used the expression. The originally intention was to prohibit the federal Government from establishing a National Religion. They had concerns about European Theocratic Governments which caused them to migrate to the New World so they had little intention of allowing the same thing to happen here. Therefore, the National Government could not make any Laws that would affect the “People’s Religious Freedom”. It was “Never Intended to Keep Religion Out of Society since Our Nation’s Founders almost Universally Agreed that ,”Only a Moral People Could Be Free and that Morality was based on Religion”, and in America we follow the Christian Bible and Laws of Moses..The final wording of the First Amendment changed from it’s initial drafts in both houses of Congress. At the Religious Website named ,”BeliefNet”, Some information has been assembled about the evolution of the First Amendment in both house of Congress. which we will cite. See Below:
“Beliefnet in “Drafts of the First Amendment in Congress”,
The First Amendment didn’t go from James Madison’s pen straight to the National Archives. It was the product of legislative wrangling in the House and Senate of the first Congress. Here, without annotation, are the different drafts the lawmakers considered.
On June 8, 1789, James Madison proposed a religious freedom amendment to the Constitution:
“That in article 1st, section 9, between clauses 3 and 4, be inserted these clauses, to wit: The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed.”
On July 28, 1789, a select House Committee approved the following language instead:
ART. 1, SEC. 9 — Between PAR. 2 and 3 insert, “No religion shall be established by law, nor shall the equal rights of conscience be infringed.”
On August 20, after debating the measure, revised it further and instead approved this substitute amendment:
“Congress shall make no laws touching religion, or infringing the rights of conscience.”
On August 24, the full House of Representatives approved this version:
“Congress shall make no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, nor shall the rights of Conscience be infringed. “
On Septmber 3, the Senate met and considered several versions of the amendment..
This amendment was offered, and rejected:
“Congress shall make no law establishing one religious sect or society in preference to others.”
This amendment was offered, and rejected:
“Congress shall not make any law infringing the rights of conscience, or establishing any religious sect or society.”
This amendment was offered and rejected:
“Congress shall make no law establishing any particular denomination of religion in preference to another.”
This amendment was offered and accepted:
“Congress shall make no law establishing religion.”
On September 9, the Senate changed its view again and instead passed this amendment:
“Congress shall make no law establishing articles of faith or a mode of worship, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion.”
A House-Senate conference committee met. Whilte the House agreed to numerous amendments suggested by the Senate, the Senate agreed to accept the House version of the religious freedom amendment.
On September 24 House accepted the language. Septmember 25, the Senate accepted the language that became our First Amendment:
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.
“Beliefnet in “Drafts of the First Amendment in Congress”,
The First Amendment didn’t go from James Madison’s pen straight to the National Archives. It was the product of legislative wrangling in the House and Senate of the first Congress. Here, without annotation, are the different drafts the lawmakers considered.
On June 8, 1789, James Madison proposed a religious freedom amendment to the Constitution:
“That in article 1st, section 9, between clauses 3 and 4, be inserted these clauses, to wit: The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed.”
On July 28, 1789, a select House Committee approved the following language instead:
ART. 1, SEC. 9 — Between PAR. 2 and 3 insert, “No religion shall be established by law, nor shall the equal rights of conscience be infringed.”
On August 20, after debating the measure, revised it further and instead approved this substitute amendment:
“Congress shall make no laws touching religion, or infringing the rights of conscience.”
On August 24, the full House of Representatives approved this version:
“Congress shall make no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, nor shall the rights of Conscience be infringed. “
On Septmber 3, the Senate met and considered several versions of the amendment..
This amendment was offered, and rejected:
“Congress shall make no law establishing one religious sect or society in preference to others.”
This amendment was offered, and rejected:
“Congress shall not make any law infringing the rights of conscience, or establishing any religious sect or society.”
This amendment was offered and rejected:
“Congress shall make no law establishing any particular denomination of religion in preference to another.”
This amendment was offered and accepted:
“Congress shall make no law establishing religion.”
On September 9, the Senate changed its view again and instead passed this amendment:
“Congress shall make no law establishing articles of faith or a mode of worship, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion.”
A House-Senate conference committee met. Whilte the House agreed to numerous amendments suggested by the Senate, the Senate agreed to accept the House version of the religious freedom amendment.
On September 24 House accepted the language. Septmember 25, the Senate accepted the language that became our First Amendment:
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.
It’s time to stop the Federal Government from interfering in the religious practices of “We The People”and “Re-establish Constitutional Limitations on Federal Power”. Please watch some videos from my YouTube Playlist,”Separation of Church and State” located at the top of this page to gain a better understanding of the issue. Then please consider some possible solutions to the problem of the Federal Government Infringing Upon Our Religious Freedom.There is a possibility which I believe was first championed by Thomas Jefferson, namely “The Nullification of Unconstitutional Laws and Court Decisions.” The Principal says in simple terms: ”The States Created the Federal Government Giving It Defined and Limited powers and When Those Powers are Exceeded and Abused, They must Act To Stop It ! We need Legislation and action throughout the 50 states to do just that and preserve Our Religious Liberty!! Perhaps something worded like: Any Law or Judgement by the Federal Government which infringes upon the Religious Rights of the people is void and such is not enforceable by “The Federal Government within the borders of ”The State of ******”.I have found a few videos on the subject of Nullification. Please Watch:
The growing authority about Nullification is probably the:
"Tenth Amendment Center". ….
Go there for more information !! Now it’s time to go to work and take back our First Amendment rights. Notice we’ll be met at every juncture by at least two Organizations who will be fighting “For Their Version of Liberty”…one without GOD and Religion in out American Society. Those organizations are with links:
1. Americans United For Separation Of Church and State.
2. American Civil Liberties Union
We can keep an eye on both of these organization here:
Marxism in America News Widget
Jim E.
"Tenth Amendment Center". ….
Go there for more information !! Now it’s time to go to work and take back our First Amendment rights. Notice we’ll be met at every juncture by at least two Organizations who will be fighting “For Their Version of Liberty”…one without GOD and Religion in out American Society. Those organizations are with links:
1. Americans United For Separation Of Church and State.
2. American Civil Liberties Union
We can keep an eye on both of these organization here:
Marxism in America News Widget
Jim E.