Freedom of and from Religion

Our constitution prohibits government from establishing a religion.

Legal precedent has long been that government enacting laws affecting conduct that are based solely on a religious determination of right and wrong violate the establishment clause. On the other hand the Constitution specifies that government cannot restrict the free expression of religion. When one religious point of view is the basis of any government action it necessarily restricts the expression of contradictory religious points of view. The motivation behind the desire that Christian morals become the laws of governments is an altruistic one; proponents seek this because they believe that it is the highest and best way to live and wish to extend the benefits of grace to the nation.

Christianity itself is not based on compulsion, but choice. God does not force people to obey his laws, to accept Jesus.

Assuming God is omnipotent He could compel humanity to obey, but He has not set things up that way – humanity must choose. Our form of government is an expression of the same values in respect to religion; government cannot and should not compel people to adhere to any religious ideology. If God blesses America it is because we make freedom of choice the central tenant of our government. One does not have to look far to see that governments based on a specific religious ideology or that do not allow their citizens to choose how to live their lives are not free, are not long successful and have fomented most, if not all, the war and destruction in human history.