Does the First Amendment protect religion from the state or the state from religion?
In the beginning of this reading it explains the Clauses of the First Amendment. The first Clause is the Establishment Clause which is “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” which is immediately followed by the Free Exercise Clause “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (Carter 103). From this I thought it would answer my question to, does the first Amendment protect religion from the state or the state from religion? To this question and from the Clauses I would say the First Amendment protects religion from the state, but as I read on my answer was starting to change.
As I read further on there was something in the beginning that caught my eye and wanted to change my answer. In the beginning the example he gives about a Christian minister who ran a drug rehabilitation program. The thing that caught me though was at the end he says “but this program, he went on with something close to bitterness, could receive no state funding, because of its religious nature” (Carter 104). From this example Stephen talks about it make me think my answer is wrong to that question. So I thought well then the First Amendment protects the state from religion.
From this though I am not sure either my answers are more right then the other. I think depending on the situation the answer to the question could go both ways I think sometimes the First Amendment is protecting the state from religion and sometimes the First Amendment protects religion from the state.
Works Cited
Carter, Stepehen L. "The Separation of Church and State". A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins,2006 pp 102-110.
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3 comments:
I totally agree with you. I first thought that the purpose of the First Amendment was to protect religion from the state. But after reading the example with the minister and his drug rehabilitation program, I began to somewhat question my answer. I agree with you, I think it changes from situation to situation.
I liked reading your blog because it seems like you don't have a certain answer, and after reading your blog I realized that you are right. It does depend on the situation, and sometimes it is hard to decide because there are so many different situations a person could be in.
i agree with you i dont know if i whould side with either side but i agree with both. it protects both
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