The 1st amendment to the Constitution reads in part, as follows: Jefferson obviously did not want anyone to tell him how he must believe and worship. Deists believe in God as the creator and supreme being, but do not believe that God interacts with humans or intervene in the universe. Jefferson, like most of the founders was a “deist” who believed in God, but not the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus. Thomas Jefferson was one of the primary backers of amending the Constitution to guarantee no “State religion.” This is dangerous and our founders knew it. The King thought he was right in dictating that everyone should worship as he did and likewise, we have folks in this country today that believe everyone should worship as they do. There is a strong lesson here and one that we should meditate upon to fully understand. Other early immigrants were practicing Puritans, Baptists, Anglicans, Congregationalists, Methodists and Presbyterians. They did not feel comfortable with the new State religion, as they viewed it too similar to Catholicism.įrom the early immigrants, we get Quakers in Pennsylvania, Catholics in Maryland, religions considered fringe in Rhode Island. This did not set well, so these folks set sail for this new country where they could worship God in the manner they chose. Henry VIII set up a “State Religion” when he established the Church of England. In their former country, King Henry VIII had decreed that all English must worship in the Anglican Church of England, when he formally split with the Pope and Catholicism.
#Respecting an establishment of religion free
Just as God initiated, religious freedom allows the free will of humans to worship as they want and so choose.Įveryone knows the story of the Pilgrims and Puritans who came to America from England, looking for religious freedom.
It does not mean forcing one or any religion upon people. Also, the right to not worship, if one sees fit. Religious freedom means the right to worship as one sees fit. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.
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