Guarantee

Dear MRFF:

Please explain how the first amendment guarantees both freedom to and from religion at the same time? Don’t you mean freedom to exercise religion and freedom from the establishment of religion by the government? I don’t think they are the same thing. You need to proof read your webpage a little closer. While you’re thinking about that, please also explain how encouraging citizens to freely exercise their religious freedom is an establishment of religion by government?

(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),

Our website, like most any, contains a great deal of information on many pages. What specifically are you referring to in your first sentence? A specific page link would be greatly appreciated. You also state “I don’t think they are the same thing”. What exactly are you intending to compare here? Are you comparing your statement as opposed to the non-referenced statement in your first sentence or something else?

Regardless of the above, you didn’t appear to have any problem using the referenced ‘freedom to’ and ‘freedom from’ in a good, strong and constitutional valid sentence (Meaning: It was apparently extremely obvious and you got it!).

“freedom to exercise religion and freedom from the establishment of religion by the government”

What then is your complaint or suggestion about proof reading, please explain? Are we picking nits here or is there some other point you wish to make?

Regarding your second request (…please also explain how encouraging citizens to freely exercise their religious freedom is an establishment of religion by government?) I offer the following:

The 1st Amendment clearly doesn’t allow the government to do anything in regards to religion. Why does the government need to encourage or discourage anything in regards to religion?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…

Sounds to me like someone was trying to make a point to the government here regarding religion…and that point appears to be leave it alone, drop it, ignore it, move on, the citizens have this one covered without you!

Let me ask you a question now. Would you feel the same if the government chose to discourage citizens from freely exercising their religious freedom? Not stop or hinder them in any way, just remind them, repeatedly, and at every opportunity. Let’s say the government developed a message reminding citizens that they are free to ignore the church/faith of their choosing or what the heck, ignore all religion…and that communication of this discouragement took time/money/effort to produce fliers, ads, websites, radio announcements, etc. Would you be OK with this, I’m really interested to know your ideas on this.

I know I feel the same in both instances (encouragement or discouragement) and my advice to the government: Leave it alone, drop it, ignore it, move on, me and my fellow citizens have this one covered.

Thanks for taking the time to write and I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Andy Kasehagen