The Constitution, Part III
The Bill of Rights is divided into ten parts, most of them very short, and written in sentences that are direct and easy to understand. Because it is the most practical part of the Constitution for civilians to memorize let’s start with it. Here is AMENDMENT 1:
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.
What a wisely worded amendment. And you are right it is direct and easy to understand. Too bad it is being twisted and debated so brutally. “Redress of grievances” is not everyday wording, but I think pretty much everyone knows it means you have a right to make a petition.
Isn’t it strange that some seem to think that permitting a public employee or official to talk about Jesus Christ constitutes Congress making a law to establish a religion, while they’d like to ignore the free exercise aspect of it?
In general we need to understand that there cannot be law without religion, since every law is based on the idea of right and wrong. So a religion of some kind has to form the ideals of people, in turn forming the basis of the laws. Peace and order is the result of good ideals while both lawlessness and oppression are nothing more than following a bad set of ideals, that is, putting human ideas above God’s. It’s just not the government’s job to force the “best religion” to dominate. A representative form of government allows the ideals of the people, influenced by whatever religion, to determine who makes and enforces the laws. Hence the success of such a republic can be traced back to its religion.
I recognize that picture from Valley Forge.