ISSUES
Separation of Church & State
The First Amendment's wall of separation protects freedom of conscience and has given Americans more religious freedom than any people in world history. This priceless feature protects our right to worship, or not to worship. Religion has propsered and spread more in the United States than in most other countries, yet we have avoided "religious wars."
In the tradition of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, we have a careful balance that's uniquely American--the free exercise of religion, respecting the rights of minorities without the establishment of religion. We guarantee religion that does not impose one's beliefs on others. To work both ways we must respect diversity. Respecting the views of other faith groups is a civic responsibility that in no way limits one's freedom.
In seeking a progressive and centrist approach to issues, Public Issues focuses on the Religious Right's attempt to deny or weaken the "wall of separation" between church and state, and the need for tolerance and diversity. We have created a special "Committee to Challenge the Religios Right" to monitor and counter the Religious Right in Memphis and the Mid South. For more information on how you can get involved, contact the chair of the committee--Gloria Kahn (email [email protected] ).
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