The Impossibility Of Religious Freedom - 1713 Words

The act of defining religion has been a contentious issue in a wide variety of situations, particularly in the United States. The US is a nation that prides itself on religious inclusivity and freedom. There are consequences to this belief and tenant. Through the social, legal and moral structures of the United States, defining religion has become imperative. In The Impossibility of Religious Freedom, Winifred Sullivan outlines the legal implications of defining religion in the United States. In order for religious freedom to be protected by the American state, religion must be clearly defined. As a result, religious theory must be used to maintain some semblance of religious freedom in the United States. Likewise, Josh Dubler’s Down in†¦show more content†¦While there are specificities of the case that can help determine the individualized outcome of this particular case, the foundations of the legal problems in the case can be expanded to greater problems of religio us definition in the United States. As shown through The Impossibility of Religious Freedom, religious theory is vital to the continuation of religious freedom protections, for better or worse, in the United States. The case that is highlighted by Sullivan revolves around the ability for citizens to use religious items around burial sites that extend beyond the city of Boca Raton’s regulatory codes. When some of these religious items around the burial sites were not permitted by the city, a group of citizens sued the city on the grounds that the city was preventing actions protected by the religious freedom clauses of the US Constitution. This case, like many others involving religious freedom decisions, required a real definition of religion. Religious theory was imperative to the outcome of this case. Sullivan writes, â€Å"If religion was whatever anyone said it was, the statute was unworkable and [Judge Ryskamp] did not feel it was his place to simply dismiss an act of t he Florida legislature as nonsense. Religion therefore had to be measured and bounded by an expert test†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Sullivan 105). These tests were determined by various religious scholars, including Sullivan, that testified in this case. Religious theory,Show MoreRelatedThe United States And Religious Neutrality1658 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, religious neutrality appears throughout society as an attempt to respect majority and minority religions, which seems implausible due to the complicated relationship between religion and government. 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The initial lack of explicitness of the meaning of the poem is exemplified by the mysteriousness of the woman, Althea, who is rather unspecific in description, and ethereal, described as â€Å"divine.† Whether or not the woman was real, or herselfRead MorePresident Trump Is A Disaster For Transgender People1019 Words   |  5 Pagesa disaster for transgender people† written by Samantha Allen, given the fact that both Trump and his Vice President, Mike Pence, appear to favor the Religious Freedom Act, repealing Obama Care, and allowing HIV preventative inaction, I argue, and with great reason, that those who will be severely targeted and affected by their political and religious stances will be the entire transgender and transsexual community—a fear t hat I once assumed was a thing of the past. Along with building up a wallRead MoreA Significant Strength Of The Constitution Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pagesgiven group who would then have the ability to force their own agenda on our democracy. 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