EXPANDING UNIVERSE: Does Freedom of Religion Mean All Religions?

by Betsy Robinson

According to the “State of the First Amendment 2007” national telephone survey commissioned by the First Amendment Center, those who believe freedom to worship extends to all religious groups, regardless of how extreme, has fallen 16 points since 2000 — to 56 percent from 72 percent. Fully 65 percent of Americans now believe that the nation’s founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation and 55 percent believe that the Constitution establishes a Christian nation.

First Amendment Center senior scholar Charles Haynes commented: “While the survey shows Americans highly value religious freedom (97 percent), a significant number support privileging the religion of the majority, especially in public schools. Four decades after the Supreme Court declared state-sponsored religious practices unconstitutional in public schools, 58 percent of respondents support teacher-led prayers and 43 percent favor school holiday programs that are entirely Christian. Moreover, 50 percent would allow schools to teach the Bible as a factual text in a history class.”

Haynes believes the bias for “rule” by the majority religion is based on the notion that the United States was founded as a Christian nation with Christian values, in spite of the fact that the Constitution nowhere mentions God or Christianity.
The 2007 survey, conducted by New England Survey Research Associates, is available at firstamendmentcenter.org.