The Constitution provides freedom of religion, that is, the ability to choose your own religious organization. It also promises freedom from religion. You cannot be forced to pay taxes for a state religion. A current version of Christianity tries to impose its belief system on everyone and to exclude people of color. It’s called Christian Nationalism, and its goal is to impose Christianity on everyone in this country.

For thousands of years established religions enforced slavery and then racism after freedom. The Founding Fathers didn’t want to deal with it because they didn’t want to upset the economy. It took a bloody war to change the system. In the 1960s, it took another bloody fight to enforce our civil rights, especially for people of color. Ethnicity also is an issue with anti-Semitics, or hatred of Jewish people. The same fear of others applies to Muslims. When we believe that our mindset is the only one, we are using religion as a club rather than a guide.

In recent years, the “culture wars” have focused on LGBTQ+ issues, especially transgender people. We were kicked out of the military until just a few years ago, and now the current administration is doing that to transgender people. We’re probably next. Their basis is that we are guilty of the only unforgivable sin and are evil. The Biblical scriptures are quoted to support that view, but they conveniently forget a lot of the other 613 Jewish health code prohibitions in the Old Testament.

When religious organizations are used as a community of believers of a particular system, they serve as a cohesive support network. When they are used to exclude people, they are discriminatory. When they are welcoming, they are a positive force. When they are exclusionary, they are a negative force.

In addition to our Bill of Rights, we have several amendments to the US Constitution to more clearly specific certain rights, such as the right to privacy, to having a hearing without unreasonable arrest, and so on. The current administration is claiming Christianity as the basis for denying us many of our rights, which is blasphemy.

The government, including the executive branch, must honor our legal rights which are based on ancient ideas of equity before the law.

Religion is like fire. It can be used or abused. When it incites a riot, it is dangerous. When it provides warmth, security, guidance, and comfort, it is a blessing.

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