Reply #53: "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" [View All]

[Xithras]

The constitution says flat out that the government is powerless to tell churches how to run themselves. If a church does not want to accept gay members, does not want to marry them on religious grounds, or wants to preach that homosexual marriage is wrong, that is their right.

Society has a right to muzzle and control religious leaders when they try to bring their sermons and beliefs into the public arena, but within their own walls they can spread whatever idiocy they choose.

To punish a religion for its beliefs would be a blatant violation of the first amendment, and would be struck down by the Supremes anyway.