You don’t understand Religious Freedom if you think:

-The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment is more important than other freedoms in that amendment–freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition

Question:  Why would religion be the most important thing in a secular society?

-A person’s religious beliefs take precedence over laws applying to everyone else

Question:  Wouldn’t that favor Your Religion and make it more important than mine?

-One religious group should be privileged to receive special treatment or favor by the government

Question:  Which religious group should get special treatment?

-That the government can favor Religion in legislation or in the public square

Question:  Whose religion gets the favor?

-That religious groups should receive tax breaks and be entitled to taxpayers’ funds

Question:  Should someone who doesn’t pay taxes receive taxpayers’ money?  Do you want to pay for a religious building, school or clergy salary of a faith not your own?

-That the “free exercise of religion” means you can do anything, including discriminate against anyone you choose, and claim it’s your Constitutional right

Question:  What if you are the one discriminated against?  What about the rest of the Constitution?

-Your right to believe as you choose is protected by the First Amendment but a person who chooses another belief or no belief at all is not guaranteed the same protections

Question:  What does “equal protection” mean then?

Do you understand what Religious Liberty means?

from Americans United for Separation of Church and State:

“Religious freedom is the right to decide which religion to follow – if any – without government coercion or interference. Indeed, religion and belief are stronger without government support.

Religious freedom ensures that you can decide whether or how to pray, that you cannot be banned from entering this country because or your religion and that no one else can use his or her religious beliefs to harm you or deny your civil rights and civil liberties.”