Freedom of religion is an establishing principle in the United States.  The Pilgrims who sailed from England to settle in the New World sought an escape from persecution and the ability to practice their religion freely and openly.  The separation of church and state was ensured at the federal level early on by the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  Ratified in 1791, the Founders adopted the first amendment and the Bill of Rights to ensure that certain basic human freedoms, including the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of religion, could never be abridged in the United States.  Continue reading →