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THE RIGHTS OF MAN - 3

1. In the First Witness or Old Testament, the Right to serve God is presented as the supreme Right or the First Right. Deuteronomy 6:4-6.
2. In the Second Witness or New Testament, Jesus 
presented this Right as the supreme Right or 
First Right. Mark 12:28-30.

3. This Right, when translated into a social law is called Religious Liberty. This is the very first Right on the American Bill of Rights. It states in part:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence, p. 21.
4. This clause which is the foundation stone of 
Republicanism since it is the real test of what is a Republic, does not speak about separation of church and state.

a. What it teaches is the Separation of Religion and Legislation.
b. While the state can have any religion operating publicly in all its borders, what it is not to do is to legislate any:
i. Religion
ii. Religious dogma or
iii. Religious practice.

c. This is to facilitate the government not forcing any religion on the people of the state as was done in the past and as is currently done in Islamic states.
d. The clause also facilitates that the government is not to legislate against any:
i. Religion
ii. Religious dogma
iii. Religious practice.

e. This is meant to allow all and everyone, even 
minorities, to practice their religion without 
persecution from any group or class in society, or from government. It is also meant to protect from any form of state interference.

5. The First Right therefore tells government that they have no control over religion either by:
a. Enforcement,
b. Prohibition, or
c. Regulation.

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