Freedom of Religion

From PreparingYou
Jump to: navigation, search
False religion tickles the ears of the people while encouraging them in covetous practices. A society's appetite for the wages of unrighteousness degrades it and paves the road to despotism. Plutarch and Polybius wrote about it. John the Baptist, Christ and the early Church preached it. The Christian conflict with Rome was their unwillingness to sign up with the Corban of the world which was making the word of God to none effect.
Audio
Exercise of Freedom of Religion and Pure Religion instead of exercising authority one over the other.
http://hisholychurch.net/audio/20201205exercise.mp3


Freedom of Religion


or Download Freedom of Religion

Kelly Shackelford's defense of freedom of religion on PragerU was valiant and maybe in good faith, but fundamentally flawed. Instead of defending freedom of religion as he may have desired to do, he has perpetuated the power and delusions of the lie that people have already come to believe, which simply is not true.

Kelly Shackelford, president of First Liberty, cited Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the religious motivation of the Revolution. He defended the first amendment, saying that it “wasn’t an accident” that it was the first freedom listed in the Bill of Rights — beginning with “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

In support of Shackelford, The Daily Wire references historical examples of the "suppression of religious freedom". They explain how it affects all freedoms, pointing to the closure of churches and the “control of all religious life” under Soviet rule, as well as religious limitations enforced under the Chinese communist regime."

They go on to say “The reason for such anti-religious sentiment, … is that religion “challenges the authority of the state more than any other freedom,” and that “people who adhere to a religion believe that there’s something higher than the state, and no repressive government can tolerate such a belief.”[1]

While I sympathize with his view, he has already lost the war. He should have read the argument made by David Crocket and Heratio Bunce against the rise of the welfare state. An attack on freedom of religion is not merely an attack on freedom or liberty of thought because religion is much more than thoughts and opinions. From the beginning, religion was not something you think or say but what you do and how you do it.[2]

The truth is that pure religion challenges the means by which the authority of the state expands its power and diminishes the liberty of the people. It does them by creating a dependence in the people upon the State and its welfare provided through taxation instead of charity. We were warned against such covetous practices by all the prophets and condemned by Jesus.

Writers from Polybius to Plutarch said things like, “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits.” The desire for those benefits which are the wages of unrighteousness spreads a strong delusion infecting the minds of the people until they inevitably degenerate into perfect savages.

Kelly Shackelford even quotes Alexis de Tocqueville who understood that when “When…men attack religious beliefs, they are following their emotions not their interests. Tyranny may be able to do without faith, but freedom cannot.”

The first attack on religion came not from tyrants but from wordsmiths. They simply changed what was the “duty” of religion to what one thinks about God. The Holy Spirit was replaced by an emotional high of self-righteousness regarding vain rituals and rites rather than the humble self-sacrifice of the righteousness of God exemplified in the life of Christ.

The real problem is not an attack on religion by government but the abandonment of pure religion by the people. I am not talking about low attendance in what are posing as religions today. I am talking about the cognitive dissonance which came when people developed "an appetite for benefits and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of force..."

Alexis de Tocqueville observed a flawed America that was far greater than what we aspire to accomplish today. In America, like the early Church, there was little dependence upon government handouts. No Christians would pray for the free bread offered by men who called themselves benefactors but exercised authority one over the other. Christians provided for the welfare of their community through faith, hope and charity and a daily ministration that rightly divided that bread from house to house.[3]

If repentance is thinking differently, then people who think they are religious need to ask when did God say it was okay to covet your neighbor's goods through men who exercise authority one over the other. The quickest way to raise up a tyrant is to tell your government they have the right to take from your neighbor, so you can have, supposedly, free health education and welfare at your neighbors' expense. And the only way to protect or restore liberty is to seek to provide those benefits of society through the perfect law of liberty by freewill offerings and charity, like Christ commanded.

Once you understand what the word Religion meant 200 years ago in America and 2000 years ago for the first century Church, your thinking about Religion, the Church, the Bible, Politics of the world and what modern Christians should be doing and not doing will have to change. But changing the way you think is the meaning of the word repentance.




What is the true history concerning the "Strangers and pilgrims"? There are lots of different accounts from different sources putting together a view of the past and the motivation of the players. And then there are "revisionists" like Howard Zinn, with a political agenda, creating false narratives skewed by personal prejudice and bias. The question we all should be asking is "What is the truth?"

The Free Exercise Clause


or Download Freedom of Religion


or Download Freedom of Religion and the free exercise


While the Constitution of the United States is wholly inadequate by biblical standards, it is the founding document of the United States to which the individual state government and their subordinates must comply.

According to Wex, the free legal dictionary and encyclopedia by the Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School, the “Free Exercise Clause refers to the section of the First Amendment”.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The key clause referred to as the “Free Exercise Clause” is the simple phrase “prohibiting the free exercise thereof” which is a limitation imposed upon the legislature because "Congress shall make no law" that limits religious practices, rights or rituals. This prohibition placed upon congress, which is the legislature, to make laws that respect the establishment of religion also prohibit the “free exercise” of “religion”.

To fully understand the importance of this clause in the Constitution of the United States concerning Freedom of Religion we need to understand the meaning of the word religion[4] at the writing and ratification of that original limiting document. The free exercise of religion is not merely what you think about God but what you may be obligated by faith to actually do as a duty to God and your fellowman.

Wex goes on to say “The Free Exercise Clause reserves the right of American citizens to accept any religious belief and engage in religious rituals through righteous practices. Free-exercise clauses of state constitutions which protected religious “[o]pinion, expression of opinion, and practice were all expressly protected” by the Free Exercise Clause.[5]

Americans are protected from the legislature, both federal and state, from any prohibitions and restraints not only in what they think but in what they do in the practice of their religion. The value of this prohibition is a key element in the liberty under God. That free practice of Pure religion through charity by its nature will unlock the prison of our own minds. It will bring about the liberation of the people as we have seen in Judea and Rome by Christ and the early Church and of course the church in the wilderness by Moses' liberation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

Because “The Free Exercise Clause . . . withdraws from legislative power, state and federal, the exertion of any restraint on the free exercise of religion. Its purpose is to secure religious liberty in the individual by prohibiting any invasions there by civil authority.”[6]

“The Clause protects not just religious beliefs but actions made on behalf of those beliefs.”[7] More importantly, that “free exercise envisions religiously compelled exemptions from at least some generally applicable laws”[8] and therefore would naturally extend to the policies of institutions subordinate to those laws of the legislative power, state and federal.

Because of this withdrawal of power from the legislature by the document that gave it the power to exist, they have included certain “mandatory exception” clauses found in the codes of the United States[9] which extends to the States. It would seem that it is not only reasonable to believe that this withdrawal of power extends to the several states but would also extend to limit the discretion of all institutions and entities existing by or under that “legislative power, state and federal”. Therefore all business existing and operating under the authority of the states should then make similar accommodations and exceptions in their policies and practices in order “to secure religious liberty” for all Churches serving Americans in the exercise and practice of their religion.

That would mean that no institution, business, nor service allowed to exist by the permission of the legislature could prohibit, restrain, or refuse services to any Church who sought their assistance in the exercise and practice of religion without refusing all churches and religions the same services. This prohibition and withdrawal of discretion may even extend to any from "institution, business, nor service" that provides their service to the general public because many of the people in the general public depend upon the Church in the practice of their religion.

“The Free Exercise Clause” allows “American citizens to accept any religious belief and engage in religious rituals” and any “[o]pinion, expression of opinion, and practice were all expressly protected”[10] from the legislative power of government and the policies of the institutions under its authority.

A primary “religious ritual” of the early Church was the acceptance of the freewill offerings as the sacrifices of the people and the redistribution of those gifts and gratuities to individuals in need and for a provision to the general welfare of society in a manner that strengthens the poor. The Welfare state system that forces the contributions of the people has a tendency to not only weaken the individual poor but society in general.[11]

For the legislature or its subordinate institutions to impose arbitrary rules, regulations, or policies which by their nature will prohibit, restrain, or withhold services to one religion while providing it to another, by their nature, whether intended or not, would be a violation of the free exercise clause.

Only with religiously sacrificing in love of your neighbor can society become immune to the cognitive dissonance that undermines the heart and soul of society.

To apply business practices and policies equally to all religions or churches falls short of complying with the free exercise clause. It is by its nature discriminatory since policies and practices may by their nature "restrict, deprive, or restrain the Church" the practice of religion for one Church or religious group while offering the same service to others.

Any arbitrary requirements that would exclude or restrict one Church and its religious practices over another, especially when those requirements are not required by the law, would be a violation of the Free Exercise Clause. Even when a restriction seemed to be a requirement imposed by the law, it should be well understood that the legislature can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise.” To allow one church or religion to engage in or enjoy the services of an institution under the authority of the federal or state but prohibit another from enjoying the same services would violate the founding documents of the nation.

The legislature has made accommodations for Churches and so should its subordinate institutions.

Constitutional scholars and even Supreme Court opinions have contended that the two religion clauses are in conflict. E.g., Thomas v. Review Board, 450 U.S. 707 (1981). As mentioned previously, the Free Exercise Clause implies special accommodation of religious ideas and actions, even to the point of exemptions to generally applicable laws. Such a special benefit seems to violate the neutrality between “religion and non-religion” mandated by the Establishment Clause. McConnell explains::
"If there is a constitutional requirement for accommodation of religious conduct, it will most likely be found in the Free Exercise Clause. Some say, though, that it is a violation of the Establishment Clause for the government to give any special benefit or recognition of religion. In that case, we have a First Amendment in conflict with itself—the Establishment Clause forbidding what the Free Exercise Clause requires."[12]

To fail to make appropriate accommodations[13] the exercise of religion.

It is extremely important to understand that “religion” is not merely what you think but includes what you do. And from a biblical point of view, no one is practicing pure Religion if they are dependent upon men who exercise authority, force contributions through fear and fealty. Christ preached and appointed a dominion that must operate by faith, hope, and charity lest it make the word of God to non effect.

Christ appointed the kingdom to His called out ministers to be His Church as His corporate institution for the “performance of its duties to God and its fellow man”.[4] To restrict, deprive, or restrain the Church that is truly separate from the world in the performance of their religious duties would “substantially burden” His Church and deprive “American citizens” of equal protection to freely practice their “religious belief and engage in religious rituals”.

Importance of Religion

The term cognitive dissonance[14] developed by psychologist Dr. Leon Festinger is the expression of the unwillingness to see the truth which is in conflict with what you may have already accepted as true.

This conflict is exemplified in the selfish nature of mankind, which may be the source of all the problems of society. The selfish practices of society when fed by covetous schemes degenerates the members of society into perfect savages. The final product can only be overcome by individual and unselfish investment in the future and forgiveness of others. The idea of forgiving was taught by Christ and all the prophets. Forgiveness requires that at the very least we sacrifice judgement and the desire to judge found in the warnings of Christ and the apostles.

The only way to test forgiveness is through freewill sacrifice called charity with little hope of direct return. We see this principle expressed in the modern "pay it forward"[15] movement to "Cast thy bread upon the waters" directive of Ecclesiastes.[16]

Anyone who is under a strong delusion may not be able to see the truth because of the lie they already believe. To be humbled is a key to the restoration of sight.

"And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized." Acts 9:18

Willingness to suffer the pain of seeing the truth comes with the willingness to sacrifice for others. The humble heart is willing to endure the pain of the truth. The loving heart embraces it. The practice of pure religion in the network of charity which was commanded by Christ is designed to remove the scales from our own eyes so that we might see clearly again. Through the perfect law of liberty and the way of righteousness we may access the redemption of Christ through repentance and seeking the righteousness of God in a daily ministration of love.



2 Thessalonians 2

1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together[17] unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken[18] in mind, or be troubled,[19] neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

Comments Chapter 2
This warning in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 of being deceived or troubled in the mind is about a conflict while waiting for the day of Christ, the anointing of our hearts and minds as priest faith and not fear[20], is at hand for all of us who continue in the way and gather together as Jesus commanded.
Understanding the Christian conflict with Rome and its government supported Temples, the teachings of God concerning the error in the thinking and practices of the Nicolaitan and Balaam can help us grasp the difference between Pure Religion and public religion which like the Corban of the Pharisees makes the word of God to none effect.
Understanding also the "mystery of iniquity" in verse 6 of who the workers of iniquity are, what the wages of unrighteousness consists of, and the difference between the mammon of righteousness and unrighteousness which includes the praying to the fathers of the earth for our daily bread and our Father in Heaven may challenge our delusions the wantonness and deceivableness of the systems of the world that operate by way of force, fear and fealty and the Kingdom of God that operates by faith, hope and charity through the perfect law of liberty.
Can we refuse to see these differences and the conflict with the covetous practices of modern Christians and the love and charity of the early Christians? If we follow the Modern Church rather than The Way of Christ and the early Church shall we not be made blind?
Download Recording 2 Thessalonian 2 Keys or press play

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

7 For the mystery[21] of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power[22] and signs[23] and lying[24] wonders[25],

10 "And with all deceivableness[26] of unrighteousness[27] in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned[28] who believed not the truth, but had pleasure[29] in [[[reward of unrighteousness|unrighteousness]].[27]"

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.



Religion | Pure Religion‎ | Private welfare | Fleeing Religion |
False religion | Public religion | Our Religion | Christian conflict |
Corban | Baptism | Benefactors | That Word | Daily ministration |
Modern Christians | Diocletianic Persecution | Christians check list |
gods | Judge not | Judge | Fathers | Deist | Damnable heresies |

Factions at the altar |
Pharisees | Sadducees | Zealot | Essenes | Levites |
Messianic Judaism | Menahem the Essene | Sanhedrin |
Altars | Clay and Stone | Red Heifer | Golden calf |
Freewill offerings | Religion | Pure Religion | Public religion |
Christian conflict | Paganism | Denominations | Dispensationalism |
Benefactors | Corban | Daily ministration | Calendars |
Cult | Imperial Cult of Rome | Guru theories| | Covet | Merchandise |
Mark of God | Mark of Cain | Mark of the Beast | Nature of the Beast
Section 666 | Benefactors | Biting one another | Cry out | Worship |
Church | Temples | Religious Orders | Priests | Kings and priests |
Hear | Bible Index | Network |

Footnotes

  1. https://www.conservativereview.com/prageru-you-cant-be-free-without-this-2649016030.html
  2. Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
    Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
    Luke 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
  3. Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
  4. 4.0 4.1 “Religion. Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men” Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
  5. Michael McConnell, Religion and the Constitution (2002), pg. 105.
  6. Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203, 222–23 (1963). Free Exercise of Religion
  7. Wex legal dictionary and encyclopedia, Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School. Free Exercise Clause
  8. Michael McConnell, Religion and the Constitution (2002), pg. 107. Free Exercise Clause
  9. Title 26 USCS §508 Special rules with respect to 501c(3) organizations.
    (a) New organizations must notify the secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501c(3) status Except as provided in subsection c.... (b) Presumption that organizations are private foundations. Except as provided in subsection c. …
    c Exceptions. (1) Mandatory exceptions, Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to ---
    (A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches....
    Or: Title 26 USCS § 508 - 1 Notices
    (a) New organizations must notify the Commissioner that they are applying for recognition of section 501c(3) status --- (1) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (3) of this paragraph…
    (3) Exceptions from notice. (1) Paragraph (a) (1) and (2) of this section are inapplicable to the following organizations.
    (a) churches, interchurch organizations of local units of a church, conventions or associations of churches,....
    Or: Title 26 USCS § 6033 Returns by exempt organizations.
    (a) Organizations required to file (1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (2)…
    (2) Exceptions from filing. (A) Mandatory exceptions Paragraph (1) shall not apply to
    (i) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches,...
    Or: Title 26 CFR Ch. 1(4-1-96 Edition) Internal Revenue Service, Treasury § 1.508 - 1
    (7) Exceptions from notice. Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph are inapplicable to the following organizations:</span> </li>
  10. Michael McConnell, Religion and the Constitution (2002), pg. 105. Free Exercise Clause
  11. Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
  12. Michael McConnell, Religion and the Constitution (2002), pg. 105. McConnell, note 1 above, at 102.
  13. https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7271&context=ylj

Cite error: <ref> tag defined in <references> has no name attribute.



About the author





Subscribe

HELP US at His Holy Church spread the word by SUBSCRIBING to many of our CHANNELS and the Network.
The more subscribers will give us more opportunity to reach out to others and build the network as Christ commanded.

Join the network.
Most important is to become a part of the Living Network which is not dependent upon the internet but seeks to form The bands of a free society.
You can do this by joining the local email group on the network and helping one another in a network of Tens.

His Holy Church - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/hisholychurch

Bitchute channel will often include material that would be censored.
https://www.bitchute.com/channel/o6xa17ZTh2KG/

Rumble Channel gregory144
https://rumble.com/user/gregory144

To read more go to "His Holy Church" (HHC) https://www.hisholychurch.org/

Brother Gregory in the wilderness.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJSw6O7_-vA4dweVpMPEXRA

About the author, Brother Gregory
http://hisholychurch.org/author.php

PreparingU - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hTUK8R89ElcXVgUjWoOXQ

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HisHolyChurch