religious liberty & the 1st amendment

8/14/2019 Religious Liberty & the 1st Amendment

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Religious Liberty &

The 1st Amendment

Nathan Feldman


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Religious Liberty &

The 1st Amendment

The 1st AmendmentCongress shall make no law respecting

an establishment of religion, or

prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

Nathan Feldman


3/19

The 1st Amendment leaves all power to

the states and to the people!

James Madison: There is not a shadow of right in the general

[Federal] government to intermeddle with religion. Its least

interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation.

Thomas Jefferson: [powers over] freedom of religion,

freedom of speech, or freedom of the press, did remain, and

were reserved to the states, or to the people.


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We are a Religious Country!

1892 U.S. Supreme Court, Church of the Holy Trinity v. U.S.

this is a religious peoplethis is a Christian Nation.

1931 U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. v. Macintosh

We are a Christian peopleacknowledging with reverence

the duty of obedience to the will of God.

1844 U.S. Supreme Court, Vidal v. GirardIn a Christian countrywhy may not the Bible, and

especially the New Testamentbe read and taught as a

divine revelationin [a government run] school.


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There is NO

Separation of Church and State Clause

in the Constitution or Bill of Rights

The 1st

AmendmentCongress shall make no law respecting

an establishment of religion, or

prohibiting the free exercise thereof;


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There is NO



Alexis de Tocqueville: In Americathere was a separation of

Church and state, but not a separation of state and religion.

Thomas Jefferson [1831 Letter to Baptists in Danbury, CT]

[The constitution built] a wall of separation between

Church and State.

(TO PROTECT, NOT PREVENT the free exercise of religion.)

1947 US Supreme Court: Everson v. Board of Education

Based its decision on the Separation of Church & Statephrase.


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There is NO



1962 US Supreme Court: Engle v. Vitale

Voluntary prayer at school is unconstitutional !!!

The Court separated religious principles from education.

1980 The 10 commandments cannot be posted in schools!!!

1985 Silent voluntary prayer at school is unconstitutional !!!

The Unconstitutional Prayer: Almighty God, we acknowledge

our dependence upon Thee and we beg Thy blessings upon us,

our parents, our teachers, and our country.


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SAT Test Scores before & after 1963


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Number of Violent Crimes before and after

1963


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Out of wedlock births for 10-14

year old girls


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Single Parent Households


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1. Pray, read your Bible or other religious materialand talk about your faith at school.

2. Organize prayer groups and religious clubs, and

announce your meetings.

3. Express your faith in your classwork/homework.

4. Go off campus for religious studies duringschool.

5. Express your faith at a school event.

US Dept of Education says you can


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Thanks for your time!

Nathan FeldmanGod Bless America!

www.wallbuilders.com


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Extra Slides


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The Religion of America

by Benjamin Franklin

1. There is a God, who created all things, and we should worship Him.

2. God has revealed a moral code of behavior which distinguishes

right from wrong.

3. God holds us responsible for the way we treat each other.

4. There is a life after death.

5. In the next life we will be judged for our conduct in this life.


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Our Religious Heritage

John Adams: The general principles on which the fathers achieved

independence werethe general principles of Christianity.

Washingtons Farewell Address: Of all the dispositions and habits

which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are

indispensible supportsAnd let us with caution indulge the supposition

that morality can be maintained without religionReason and experienceboth forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail to the

exclusion of religious principle.

1892 U.S. Supreme Court, Church of the Holy Trinity vs United States

in a unanimous decision, said No purpose of action against religioncan be imputed to any legislation, state or national, because this is a

religious peopleThis is a Christian Nation.

They then cited nearly 80 different historical precedents showing

that America was a Christian nation!


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We are a Religious Country!

John Adams: The general principles on which the fathers achieved

independence werethe general principles of Christianity.

Washingtons Farewell Address: Of all the dispositions and habits

which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are

indispensible supportsAnd let us with caution indulge the supposition

that morality can be maintained without religionReason and experience

both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail to the

exclusion of religious principle[s].

In 1787 Congress passed The Northwest Ordinance to encourage schools

to teach religion, morality, and knowledge.


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The 1st Amendment leaves all power to

the States and to We the people

James Madison: There is not a shadow of right in the general

[Federal] government to intermeddle with religion. Its least

interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation.

Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story: the whole power overthe subject of religion is left exclusively to the state

governments, to be acted upon according to their own sense of

justice, and the state constitutions.

Thomas Jefferson: [powers over] freedom of religion,

freedom of speech, or freedom of the press, did remain, and

were reserved to the states, or to the people.

religious liberty & the 1st amendment

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