Numerous times, the Supreme Court of the United States of America has ruled that the 14th Amendment guarantees America and her citizens fundamental rights against the establishment of religion in government. Although not explicitly stated, yet still intended by our Founding Fathers, we as a society, have a distinct and visual separation between religious institutions and our federal and state governments. In other words, the government should not create or rule on laws on the basis of any religion.
The very first amendment of the Constitution mentions the existence of religion in government, citing that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
Despite this, religion, resoundingly Christianity and Catholicism, is used as justification for the establishment of laws in our country. Just recently, Superintendent Ryan Walters from the state of Oklahoma tried mandating Bibles in his district’s school classrooms. In videos intended for students of the district, Walters urges students to “pray for President Donald Trump”, and stresses the importance of the Bible for students’ educations in Oklahoma. As of current statistics, Oklahoma ranks 49th in education. Thankfully, the state’s governor blocked this mandate of Bibles in schools.
Even the basis for the country’s “pro-life” movement is entirely and thoroughly based on Christian religiosity. I distinctly recall a conversation I had with a close friend just a few months ago. We talked for a few odd hours about the process of abortion in our country, and how I disagreed with its banning in any way, shape or form. When asked for his justification as to why abortion should be banned nationally, he was able to pull no argument but one seeded in religion.
Although all Americans are fully privy and welcome to their own beliefs, that does not mean they shall be infringed upon by the rest of the country. Not everyone subscribes to Christianity, Catholicism, or any religion period; the number of those who identify as Christian has fallen to approximately 60% in those aged 30-39, as found by the Pew Research Center. Gen-Z is the least religious generation ever, with about a third identifying without a religion.
All are welcome to campaign for their values, and petition the country to exist a certain way. However, the time where religion is used as the justification to strip rights away from women, or to infringe values not everyone wholly agrees with, there is a serious issue. The impetus for the United States existing in the first place is because of oppression across the North Atlantic; settlers left upon the Mayflower for religious freedom from Great Britain, escaping the very thing the United States has now morphed into.
