In Defense of Danbury

20 Jul, 2009 | Brian

I would like to take to task the following concept:

What began in the early days of our country as the freedom of religion has today become freedom from religion, which clearly has nothing to do with the meaning of religious freedom that was laid down in the constitution.

The implication that there is a Constitutional forbiddance of atheism is not clear by any means. The Establishment Clause to the First Amendment says only that Congress is prohibited from making laws that establish a state religion, and the Free Exercise Clause says only that Congress cannot tell me how to practice my religion. Nowhere are the words "freedom of religion" found in this document.

But even if it did say those words, the idea that it is a legal obligation to believe is hard to digest. The First Amendment also provides for freedom of speech. Does this prohibit me from remaining silent?