ABSTRACT
Freedom of religion is a bedrock principle of the American nation. Many of the original colonists fled England for religious freedom. It was not an accident that the Framers put freedom of religion in the First Amendment. Nor was it accidental that this freedom was placed at the top of the hierarchy of rights in the First Amendment. Of course, the First Amendment, like much of the Constitution, is written in vague language. So, when the First Amendment claims “Congress shall make no law …” it is not an absolute prohibition. Congress and the states can obviously place some restrictions on behavior related to religion.
