[Levy78]

"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. "

Please show me where in this amendment it is stated the government shall support any one religion by displaying its texts in a public venue?

What does this line mean to you? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"

[radicalamericannationalist]

1. It does not say that a government shall support religions. However, it does not say that government may not support religion.

2. I think it means exactly what it says. Congress shall make no established Church of America, a la the Church of England. Are you aware that most of the states had established churches? And during the Congressional debate of the First Amendment, it was understood that those institutions would not be impacted? Again, I think the folks who drafted it had a pretty good idea what they meant.

[robertpaulsen]

"the government shall support any one religion by displaying its texts in a public venue?"

And what religion is being "supported" by the government when the Ten Commandments are displayed on public property?

What does "the free exercise thereof" mean to you? At home, in the basement, with the drapes closed, and in a soft voice? Some concept of freedom you have there.

[Dec31,1999]

What does this line mean to you? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"

I know this was not directed at me, but I'll take a stab...

It's a legal loophole through which anyone with a belligerent philosophy can declare their ideas as religion. You can't scream "fire!" in a crowded theater without reason.

So why does the Supreme Court defend religions that call for the deaths of American Citizens for no reason other than they don't practice said religion?