The Free Exercise Thereof Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment

The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment ensures that all U.S. citizens enjoy the right to worship the faith of their choosing; more importantly, it also gives them right not to worship any faith. The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment represents one of the few official documents on the planet that corroborates free will, specifically, the right to choose, in the arena of religion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The choice inferred by the words â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† †¦presupposes free will; this is why it is such a vital and valuable document, to the American people and to the world at large (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). The right to choose religion does not simply mean tha t religion is not imposed. Credit the founding fathers with their comprehension that the individual choice upheld in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights extends its roots much deeper than legislated safeguard against religious tyranny. It means that religion itself can be chosen, or not chosen; Freedom of Religion means we can be free to not choose a faith at all. The 9/11 bombers were not U.S. citizens, for example. For them, â€Å"choice† in religion appeared enough of an affront to the supreme rule of Allah that they felt justified in sacrificing their own lives, and murdering thousands of innocent souls. Infidels, after all, in the most painfully crude sense, are simply people who do not choose Allah. Americans have been sorely punished in recent years as a result of this amendment. So, is it time to retire it? Can the U.S. finally accept that the experiment has failed? Absolutely not. If anything, now marks the time the First Amendment to the U.S. Bill of Rightsâ⠂¬â„¢ religious freedom clause demands full and resolute support. Right now signifies the precise epoch wherein the U.S. must â€Å"be especially careful to give no ground on First Amendment issues† (Abrams 30). For the purposes of this essay, let us focus on Islam, and the Ground Zero mosque. Given that practicing Islam in the U.S. persists as a hot button issue, let one thing be clear from the outset: this is not a polemic indicting the Muslim faith. In this paper, Islam will function metaphorically and contextually to demonstrate religious freedom in some cases, and lack thereof in others. Islam contains one tenet, the moral law, which bears scrutiny in regards to a discussion of choice and free will, and provides a clear example of the relevance and importance of the Freedom of Clause in the Constitution. Islamic scholar Fazlur Rahman clarified that:Advertising Looking for essay on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"the basic à ©lan of the Qur’an is moral, whence flows its emphasis on monotheism as well as on social justice. The moral law is immutable: it is God’s â€Å"Command.† Man cannot make or unmake the Moral Law: he must submit himself to it, this submission to it being called islà  m and its implementation in life being called ibà  da or service to God† (Rahman 260). For Muslims, the faith exists as a constant, stable force, one which the faithful respond to, less as an act of belief, but more so as a physical action. â€Å"The proper response†¦is not so much believing in the faith but responding to the faith. Islam, in this sense, is not so much a noun but a verb, an action† (Ball and Haque 316). Borne on the label â€Å"God’s law,† Islam’s moral law then becomes ubiquitous and unassailable, an element that existed before humans, and one that, presumably, will outlive them; ultimately, Muslims have no say in the moral law’s ordinance. Muslims can quibble, argue, defy, or ignore the moral law, but by virtue of being alive on the planet, â€Å"God’s law† applies to them. Herein lies the import of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights: choice. The difficulty of â€Å"God’s law†, and this is true of all religions, not simply Islam, is the stubborn absence of the gods themselves. The business of interpretation, understanding, enforcing, and acting upon â€Å"God’s law† invariably falls to humans. Therefore, the moral law is always the human law, because humans alone decode it. Until the gods themselves beam down and say, â€Å"No. I meant this,† it cannot be otherwise. Thus, one of the important values of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution, is the protection it offers to victims of the moral law’s interpretation, as in the case of honor killing s (Hemmer 1). The First Amendment stands as a document that offers hope to those who suffer at the hands of any rigidly imposed faith, and provides a means to go beyond faith altogether, if that is an individual’s choice. The U.S. holds a golden opportunity to unequivocally solidify the value of the First Amendment’s Freedom of Religion clause in the Ground Zero mosque debate. Vehement protest accompanies the idea to erect an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in Manhattan. The offensiveness looks like this: Regardless of how it is intended, it will be perceived by radical Muslims around the world as a giant monument, in the heart of the beast itself, to their success in attacking America. Indeed, it will be perceived by many Americans that way. The funereal and memorial emotion that embraces one on a visit to the Ground Zero site will be weakened – poisoned, just a little – by the presence of this new, grand construction (Bottum 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, a mosque at the Ground Zero location actually stands for the value of the Freedom of Religious clause in the First Amendment, because it embodies not a monument to 9/11 violence, but rather the enduring tolerance of the United States in the area of faith, as the founding fathers intended with the clause, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). All faiths, including Islam, must remain free to practice their faith in the United States and this freedom must be visibly implemented, otherwise it makes a mockery of the Freedom of Religion clause. President Obama echoed the importance of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment at a White House dinner: â€Å"Thi s is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.† (Stolberg A1). During the aftermath of 9/11, â€Å"worries about restrictions of religious expression by Muslims† existed, as well as â€Å"fears of governmental religious coercion, where patriotic sentiment could become conflated with religious symbols and expression† (Gellman 87). The value of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment, â€Å"protection of the one who disagrees with the majority, or who is different in some matter of ideology or belief,† becomes more significant in the Ground Zero mosque debate (Gellman 88). Opponents of the mosque at Ground Zero may have forgotten, or lost sight of the larger picture. To block the erection of the Islamic cultural center there is tantamount not only to suppression of t he rights of Muslims to worship their faith of choice in their region of choice, but also sets a dangerous precedent: that emotion trumps law. Under no circumstances can the U.S. allow its Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to fall prey to fear, paranoia, or wars of faith. In Obama’s words, â€Å"Al Qaeda’s cause is not Islam — it is a gross distortion of Islam†¦in fact, Al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any other religion, and that list includes innocent Muslims who were killed on 9/11† (Stolberg A1). The Ground Zero mosque must stand as a monument to all New Yorkers, indeed all Americans, be they Muslin, Christian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Catholic, Mormon, agnostic, or atheist. The Ground Zero mosque represents all faiths, all colors of people, believers and non-believers, because they all live there. It has nothing to do with tolerance. It is a simple recognition of the reality of U.S. life: many souls, one nati onality.Advertising Looking for essay on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights will never be an easy clause to sustain. It is a clause which guarantees the rights of humans to choose to live either with or without â€Å"God’s Law,† and for some, particularly the terrorists behind 9/11 bombings, freedom to not choose a faith disturbs beyond rationality, and must be suppressed. However, the U.S. must always suppress suppression, in any form, even that which derives from its own citizens. Emotions are necessarily unstable entities, and the vision of the founding fathers, â€Å"no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† must never be subsumed or interpreted by fear (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). It is incumbent upon all Americans to do everything they can to uphold the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Their neighbors, and the rest of the world, count on it. Works Cited Abrams, F loyd. â€Å"Balancing Act: Holding the Line on the First Amendment.† Columbia Journalism Review 40.4 (2001): 30. Web. Ball, Carolyn, and Akhlaque Haque. â€Å"Diversity in Religious Practice: Implications of Islamic Values in the Public Workplace.† Public Personnel Management 32.3 (2003): 315-331. Web. Bottum, Joseph. â€Å"Holy War Over Ground Zero.† First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life 206 (2010): 3-4. Web. â€Å"Constitution of the United States: The Bill of Rights† Archives.gov. Archives.gov, n.d. Web.. Gellman, Susan. â€Å"The First Amendment in a Time that Tries Men’s Souls.† Law and Contemporary Problems 65.2 (2002): 87-101. Web. Hemmer, Bill. â€Å"Fox News Reporting: Honor Killing in America.† Fox News. 13 August 2010. n.p. Web. Rahman, Fazlur. â€Å"The Qur’an.† The World Treasury of Modern Religious Thought. Jaroslav Pelikan, ed. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1990. Print. Stolberg, Sheryl Gay. â€Å"Obama Strongly Backs Islam Center Near 9/11 Site.† New York Times. 13 August 2010. A1. Web. This essay on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment was written and submitted by user Molly O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Two Ends of the Pen Happens When a Great Author Blogs

Two Ends of the Pen Happens When a Great Author Blogs The author of the Two Ends of the Pen blog is Debra L. Martin. She is the co-author of several fantasy and science fiction novels alongside her brother, David W. Small. Their authorship deals with dystopian future in The Path trilogy; what I would call vampire romance fiction in the Silver Cross and Silver Double Cross (still forthcoming); and their newest release, The Witchs Curse – a trilogy set to be completed in late 2018 or early 2019. Looking further into the author, we discover she writes romance under the pen name Debra Elizabeth, and is an extensive reviewer of self-published and indie-published novels. Also readily apparent is her affiliation with the Xpresso and GoddessFish book tours. When a new author is looking to get the word out on their novel, Debra L. Martins blog is involved in promoting the new work and making sure her readers get the first sneak peek.ContentDebras blog usually deals with material directly relevant to readers looking for a rarer read. A rec ent post on April 19, 2018 promotes an author named James Moushon, who is self-published, but whose story of a bomb plot and CIA investigation in Southern California will appeal to the readers of Robert Ludlum and other authors in the spy thriller genre. Her other posts, for the most part, follow a similar format. She finds a book, and gives her readers some quick insight into why they might like it. This shines when the author is interviewed directly. In one post with author Arthur J Gonzalez, Two Ends of the Pen gives us some interesting insight into the authors writing process and marketing strategy. This sort of inside scoop is what makes Two Ends of the Pen worthwhile – advice, straight from the authors mouth.On lighter days, Debra Martin blogs about topics meant to inspire the reader, or bring some interesting historical moment to their notice. Usually, these posts are made in addition to her weekly posts, and the one which I lingered on was her description of Patriots Day, which breaks down the commemoration of the battles at Lexington and Concord during the American Revolution. Posted to her blog is a short description for her readers who are not native to Massachusetts, and some reenactment pictures which could serve as a great jumping off point, or writing prompt, for authors and writers browsing her site.Debra blogs frequently. In the month of March alone, she made twenty-five posts. These were broken down across three major categories: reviews, excerpts, and interviews. What should really appeal to her viewers is the quantity of titles covered. With so many excerpts and interviews to choose from, and of such independent talent, it is easy to find an appealing novel even for those who normally veer quite mainstream in their reading tastes. I am especially fond of the excerpts, which make it quite easy to gauge ones interest in the novel, before committing to buying. Of course, each of these posts provide links to the Amazon and Smashwords pag es for each novel, and occasionally include special sales, giveaways, or discount prices for those who purchase the book through Two Ends of the Pen.ReviewsUpon discovering Two Ends of the Pen, there are two types of people. There are those who immediately start scrolling through interviews and looking at what each independent author has to offer, and there are those who immediately think, how do I have my novel promoted like this? Debra reviews a lot of novels. Though her reviews are sometimes closed for submissions, she can be contacted any time via her e-mail, posted on her blog review policy.If you do happen to land her as a reviewer, she boasts some serious credentials. Debra Martin reviews for Goldberg McDuffle Communications, Knox Publishing, Angry Robot Publishing and FUZE Publishing, as well as a variety of other sources. She states that she gives a fair and honest review, but her reviews tend to rest on the high end of the scale, and she is clearly bias toward four and fiv e-star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads. Still, she does not receive compensation for her reviews, so she is able to speak her mind. She often gives details about plot, character progression, and readability in her reviews.InterviewsDebra L. Martin is an accomplished author and a whiz at marketing her material. She knows the interviewing world inside and out, and has made her presence known across the blogosphere. One interview she gave, which stands out, was for the blog Up Around the Corner on April 24, 2014. This hidden gem gives a bit of insight into how Debra writes with a co-author, and how co-authoring a work requires a writer to leave their ego at the door. She gives some good writerly advice, such as taking a break after finishing a novel, before hitting the editing grindstone; and on the importance of proper outlining (especially when working with a partner).Besides giving interviews, Debra L. Martin also interviews authors looking to make a name for themselves in the self- publishing world. Though she is currently not accepting review submissions, she is open to author interviews and can be contacted directly via her e-mail, or via her Facebook page.The Real MeatAll in all, Debras blog doesnt stand out in the blogosphere. It is one of thousands of blogs which promote authors and independent publishers. What does stand out is Debra herself. She has years upon years of experience, and she takes the time to collect resources useful to writers and authors. Near the bottom of her blog are four important sections:Author Panel DiscussionsPopular Guest PostsWorld of Symbols by Michelle SnyderRebecca Writes AboutEach of these sections of the blog contains deep dives on diverse topics related to writing and authorship, but Ill give a short synopsis of each here.Author Panel DiscussionsThese are awesome. In this short series (15 posts), Two Ends of the Pen asks a panel of authors for their opinions on questions ranging from whats your favorite part of writing a novel͛? to plot or character – what comes first? These short posts give great insight into the opinion of multiple authors, often offering contrasting and complimentary advice on how to get the most out of your writing. This discussion offers a depth of field, and the clarity which that provides. By measuring the words of each author against the others, a reader can potentially gain a much deeper understanding of the material discussed.Popular Guest PostsThe guests on Two Ends of the Pen are as accomplished as Debra herself, and they lend their authority to the writing advice offered on the blog. There are a collection of posts by Grammar Girl, a blogger who has recently blown up, and now has a larger viewership than Two Ends of the Pen, but (and no surprise here) Debra hosted her content before it was widely known. Other topics by guest posters include Holes in History, which discusses historical fiction, and how far you can push the boundaries of realism; as well as top ics like Prologue or no Prologue; and step-by-step guides to hiring a graphic artist, and getting the best from them.World of Symbols by Michelle SnyderMichelle Snyder is popular outside of Two Ends of the Pen, and so her guest spots on the blog are wonderful reads. Most of them deal with mythology and the history behind common symbols. She details the origins of ͚a green thumb͛ in one post and delves into the history of the zodiac signs in another. All of these are excellent reads. I can highly recommend The Truth About Midas, which was one of her first posts on the site.Rebecca Writes AboutFinally, Rebecca Writes About is a frequent contributor to Two Ends of the Pen, and famous in its own right among those in the know on the blogosphere. Her content is always awesome and should hit home with a number of authors and writers. Some posts to check out are her deep-dives on: traditional vs. indie publishing, working with a freelance editor, memorable characters, and writing wit h co-authors.ConclusionDebra L. Martin is, and will continue to be, an independent author and a capable reviewer. If you are hoping to write, edit, or promote a novel, then starting at Two Ends of the Pen will place you in good company.