Associations can be religious or secular
Illustration of Liberty within a Local Community in America
 2

In America, there is nothing more important to a citizen than his or her "Liberty" or "Right of Conscience".  Black's Law Dictionary defines the human conscience as:

 
"the faculty of judging the moral qualities of actions, or of discriminating between right and wrong; particular applied to one's perception and judgment of the moral qualities of his own conduct, but in a wider sense, denoting a similar application of the standards of morality to the acts of others."


As long as the reason of man continues fallible,  and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions, groups, or associations will be formed. All levels of government in America must always remember the following two principles laid down by our founders concerning the "Rights of Conscience" of citizens.  First, equality: "In a free government the security of civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights" (See Letter #51 of the Federalist Papers)

Secondly, the limits of power:  "But our rulers can have no authority over such natural rights, only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitmate powers of government extend to such acts as are injurious to others." (See "Jefferson   Himself" edited by Bernard Mayo, p.81, University Press of Virginia).


The three major religious groups in the world today, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian all believe they are obligated to follow God's Ten Commandments. There are no arguements concerning the Commandments that are physically injurious to others.  However, concerning the Commandments that deal with the treatment of individuals according to their conduct, each group or association has its own standards of acceptable conduct that it wishes to promote within its organization and local community.


Let us now look to see just how this may be accomplished having members of different religious groups living together in the same local politic.

                                                                  Page 1
                                                           Please go to Page
Back to Home Page