First Freedom First: A Citizen's Guide to Protecting Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State

by C. Welton Gaddy, Barry W. Lynn

The United States is the most religiously diverse nation in the world, due in large part to the clauses of the First Amendment that guarantee freedom for and from religion. But as we debate displaying Christmas trees at city hall and the Ten Commandments in the courthouse, we must in what other ways is our religious liberty being compromised.

In First Freedom First , with clear language and recognizable examples, two of the most trusted voices on church-state separation address head-on the many areas where religion and politics overlap, with consequences for all Americans. This book is for anyone concerned about such issues

* Churches hosting politicians and insisting they give testaments of their faith
* Science teachers questioning the theory of evolution in their public school classrooms
* Public religious debates on private issues involving end-of-life decisions and reproductive choices
* Federal funding for religious organizations, including those that discriminate openly

With religion a constant presence in political discussions, First Freedom First offers practical and easy ways to remind our leaders and our community of the importance of keeping religion and politics separate, for the sake of both institutions.

Genres: Political Science

188 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jud Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an outstanding book that addresses the importance of freedom of/from religion and how the Religious Right has lied, cheated and manipulated Americans on their way to creating a theocratic nation, where Christianity is the only accepted religion and followers of anything else become pariahs. It highlights a number of different cases, from public religious displays to the right of a couple to use birth control and details how people like Pat Robertson draw huge followings with their outrageous rhetoric.