The American Dream: A Modern Nightmare
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February/March, 2001. When the United States was founded in 1776, it was done so on the premise that the nation being established would have freedom of religion, with the exception of religion within state functions (called the Separation of Church and State in modern times). As is the major conflict in all Constitutional affairs, interpretation of the meanings of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution have sparked the age-old question "What role does religion have in politics, education, and public life in general?" The answer, while not simple, may be surprising. Before exploring the answer to the question at hand, it is essential to examine the role religion has played in United States history. Examining the history of religion from Century to Century explains the multitudes of moral dilemma and decay that religion brings to public life. To begin with, the history of religion within politics in the United States is rather exhausting. Seventeenth Century America brought forth the Quakers, a group which settled in Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Thomas Penn. Focussing on humanitarian relief and family life, the group known as Quakers began making headway in the middle of the Century. Similarly, a Quaker subculture known as the Shakers came forth under the leadership of "Mother Anne" Lee, a former Quaker who claimed to be the Second Incarnation of Jesus. The group stressed celibacy and collected membership through adult conversions or orphanage recruitment. But by the mid-Twentieth Century, Mother Anne's group was virtually extinct. Likewise instrumental in the time was Anne Hutchinson, an advocate of anti-nomianism, the belief that faith without morality could be attained. Hutchinson was the first female advocate of freedom of religion, the right to peaceably assembly, and women's rights in the United States. As the Governor of Massachusetts noted, "She is more powerful than a man". In 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging. Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to trial. Hundreds of others faced accusations of witchcraft; dozens languished in jail for months without trials until the hysteria that swept through Puritan Massachusetts subsided. What happened to freedom of religion? Well, it wasn't established yet because the Constitution was not in effect. Therefore those seeking religious freedom could move, as Hutchinson did, to Rhode Island, where leader Roger Williams declared freedom of religion. Famed literary genius Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason became a well-known "Atheist Bible" for many at the time, as well. In Eighteenth Century America, during the time of The Great Awakening, religion became an evangelical endeavor encapsulating the "new birth" (John 3:1-8). These stalwart and pious Protestants spent their days and nights trying to convert the non-believers, among them the Deists. Deism thrived on the notion that Jesus was not a divine being, and had followers ranging from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. Deism could not stand the test of time, however, because of the practitioner's opposition to proselytism, or preaching, of religious doctrine. The Great Awakening featured itinerate preachers ranging from Jonathan Edwards to George Whitefield, who toured the country, in Nineteenth Century abolitionists-style, preaching their message of salvation. The country was newly awakened to the growth of religion in public life. People everywhere became fascinated by religion, therefore leading to its mass popularity in the era. Categorized by extreme Biblical recitation, chanting, and yelling, the period was pious. The Nineteenth Century brought another distinctive religious group, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), who arose in the 1820s during the "Golden Day of Democratic Evangelicalism". The founder, Joseph Smith, had been "seared but not consumed" by the exuberant evangelicalism of the era. It was sui generis, inspired by what Smith described as revelations on a series of gold plates, which he translated and published as The Book of Mormon in 1830. The new church conceived itself to be a restoration of primitive Christianity, which other existing churches were considered to have deserted. The Mormons subscribed to many orthodox Christian beliefs but professed distinctive doctrines based on post-biblical revelation. Persecuted from its inception, the Mormon Church moved from New York to Ohio to Missouri to Illinois, where it put down strong roots at Nauvoo. In 1844, the Nauvoo settlement was devastated by its neighbors, and Smith and his brother were murdered. This attack prompted the Mormons, under the leadership of Brigham Young, to migrate to Utah, where the first parties arrived in July 1847. The church today is a flourishing, worldwide denomination. The First Amendment protection of religious freedom and free speech did not prevent the Supreme Court from banning polygamy among Mormons (1878), however. Despite that the Mormon belief in polygamy harmed no one, as all participants were not forced into the act, the Supreme Court ignored freedom of religion to advance "morality". This decision was the first indication that Constitutional guarantees are not guaranteed at all. Twentieth Century America featured a wide array of landmark Supreme Court decisions which shape religion in public life to this very day. Among the rulings of the Supreme Court: Religious instruction in public schools is unconstitutional (1948), school prayer is unacceptable in public schools (1962), Bible-reading is unconstitutional (1963), posting of Ten Commandments is unconstitutional (1980), "moment of silence" is unconstitutional (1985), examination of Creationism is unconstitutional (1987), and student-led prayer at sporting events is unconstitutional (2000). While religious liberty was upheld in those cases, the case of Lee v. U.S. denied the Amish from Social Security tax exemption despite that they wanted nothing to do with the Social Security Program to begin with. Religious freedom was also struck down when censorship of sacreligious films was disallowed in Bursten v. Wilson (1952). Finally, the Twenty-first Century in the United States saw one bold move in contradiction to the First Amendment when President George W. Bush established the federal Office for Faith Based Programs. The purpose of the office is to contribute billions of dollars to faith-based initiatives in the upcoming years. Unfortunately for Bush, and the many Americans who support his plan, it is unconstitutional and in direct opposition to all strict interpretations of the Constitution. Until brought to court, however, the faith-based pushing will continue despite protest. And make no mistake about it: The number one goal in the faith-based initiative is for faith-based programs to tirelessly promote themselves. Understanding the history of religion in this country is essential to understanding the essence of why I believe that religion and public life should never merge. The Founding Fathers entrusted the Supreme Court with the protection of the rights enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the Constitution. By this standard, the proper yardstick for evaluating Supreme Court rulings is their impact on individual rights. Regrettably, the Court has abysmally failed to measure up to its responsibility. The Great American Idea was this: a neutral government -- neither hindering nor advancing religion. A neutral government in America, with its variety of religious beliefs, is a necessity to insure domestic tranquility. And now that tranquility is being threatened by determined religionists. We who value religious liberty know what's at stake -- nothing less than the freedom from religious tyranny our founders fought to attain, and which we have enjoyed for over 200 years. We see this freedom eroding now with the continual injection of religious "morals" into government legislation. We see it in the refusal to fund programs that make available contraceptives or abortion or equal rights for gays, because certain religions object. We see funding granted to faith-based social programs. We see innovative schemes advanced to obtain taxpayer funding for religious schools, and efforts to require prayer in the public ones. And we the taxpayers are currently funding religion indirectly by granting tax-exemptions to churches and religious organizations. Historically, the majority of the harm in the world has come from religion. From Pontius Pilate to the Crusades, Henry VIII to Salem, and Hitler to Kosovo, it is religion which has caused strife and tension. Today, in our own time, it is those countries without religion that are the least violent. America itself, the most religious nation in the world, is the nation with the most violence in the world. With over two million of its citizens in prison, more than any other country on the face of this earth, our country's leaders should be ashamed. Religion itself has sparked much of the debate over issues plaguing our country nationally. For example, the more religious often tend to lean towards a pro-life stance on the issue of abortion. Additionally, the more religious tend to support the death penalty. They often also support religion in public schools and the teachings of Creationism over Evolutionism. The religious claim that those who are not "saved" (or do not believe in a higher power) often do not have essential moral values needed to guide one in society. However, this assessment is incorrect: “Secular humanists believe morality and meaning come from humanity and the natural world, not from God or the supernatural. It is our human values that give us rights, responsibilities, and dignity. [They B]elieve that morality should aim to bring out the best in people, so that all people can have the best in life. And morality must be based on our knowledge of human nature and the real world. [Despite misconceptions,] . . .humanist and religious morality share many basic principles because in fact both are underpinned by the fundamental human moral sense summarized in the Golden Rule: treat others with the same consideration as you would have them treat you. Humanists recognize that the common moral decencies -- for example, people should not lie, steal, or kill; and they should be honest, generous, and cooperative -- really are conducive to human welfare.”1 The moral differences between secular humanism and religion do not justify the allegation that secular humanists have no morals. This claim is not an argument, just an insult. It merely represents the human tendency to see one's opponents as amoral. 2 To conclude, U.S. history teaches us the necessity to understand that, to some, religion provides the acme of freedom to experience, enjoy, and appreciate the many dimensions of life. To others, humanism or atheism promises a good life here and now. Regardless of what your religion is, the essential take on religion in America is that anyone should be able to practice any religion so long as that religion does not threaten any other human being. Constitutional guarantees should remain guarantees. Most importantly, unless religious freedom is allowed in America for the Centuries to come, this nation will turn into a state alleviating zero rights to its citizens. I dread that day. Works Cited 1. Ten Myths About Secular Humanism by Cherry, Matt and Molleen Matsumura. Free Inquiry Magazine. Volume 18, Number 1. OnLine. http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/cherry_18_1.01.html. 2. See above. |
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