|
|
 |
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM?
Does the Religious Freedom Amendment violate or strenghten the First Amendment? June 10, 1998 |
|---|
Questions asked
in this forum:
How will this proposal protect minority faiths from discrimination? Is this amendment necessary? Does the amendment allow religious schools to receive federal and state aid ? What would the RFA allow that is not already granted under the First Amendment? Is this amendment just an example of the GOP appeasing its constituency?
NewsHour Coverage
June 3, 1998
A discussion on the Religious Freedom Amendment.
April 21, 1998
A debate on whether public schools should teach evolution or Creationism.
June 25, 1997
The Supreme Court strikes down the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Browse the NewsHour's coverage of religion and Congress.
Outside Links
Information on the Religious Freedom Amendment from the House.
The Christian Coalition.
The American Civil Liberties Union.
The Anti-Defamation League.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." Declaring that the "courts have gone too far" in interpreting this amendment, Congressman Ernest Istook (R- OK) has proposed the Religious Freedom Amendment to repair "the damage of 36 years of court rulings." If passed, the amendment will reverse decades of Supreme Court rulings on the separation of church and state.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
AMENDMENT:
To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed.Neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.
Backed by 150 members of the House of Representatives and several religious groups, including the Christian Coalition, the Religious Freedom Amendment would, among other things, allow school prayer and could force public funding of religious groups and schools.
But opponents of the amendment, including President Clinton, note that the First Amendment already allows for voluntary prayer in public schools -- as long as it is done privately and individually. The current law also recognizes the similar right of government employees.
Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, also claim that the amendment would allow for discrimination against minority faiths.
The Religious Freedom Amendment, like all constitutional amendments, needs a two-thirds majority of both houses of Congress and ratification by 38 states to pass. Although the amendment failed to pass this time around, it did receive a majority with 224 votes in favor to 203 opposed. Congressman Istook promises that it is an issue that will not go away.
Does the Religious Freedom Amendment violate or strengthen the First Amendment? Is there a need for such an amendment? What does it mean for minority faiths?
Answering your questions are Arne Owens, Director of Communications at the Christian Coalition and Terri Schroeder, constitutional analyst of religious liberty at the American Civil Liberties Union.
How will this proposal protect minority faiths from discrimination? Is this amendment necessary? Does the amendment allow religious schools to receive federal and state aid ? What would the RFA allow that is not already granted under the First Amendment? Is this amendment just an example of the GOP appeasing its constituency?
 |
        |
|
| Support the kind of journalism done by the NewsHour...Become a member of your local PBS station. | ||
| ||
| PBS Online Privacy Policy Copyright ©1996- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved. | ||
| ||
