What’s at Stake?
The Constitution spells out the relationship between religion and government in the First Amendment: Congress cannot make any one religion the “official” religion of the U.S., and it cannot pass any laws that prevent people from practicing their own faiths freely. Elected officials don’t need to be lawyers or scholars to uphold the Constitution, but they should share their constituents’ views on how religion and government affect each other.
Just One Example…
Religions differ on their definitions and treatments of marriage. Some faiths believe that “marriage” can only be between a man and a woman, while others use a broader definition that includes same-sex couples. The Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996, prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages, even if they were sanctioned by one of the states. Elected members of Congress chose to pass a law that privileges a conservative Christian definition of marriage over the definition created by at least two state governments and shared by some other religious groups.
That’s just one example. Can you think of others? Leave a comment below with your story, or post a video response.
What Can I Do?
Support a candidate who feels the same way you do about the importance of keeping personal religious beliefs out of our codified laws.