WHO'S BACKING THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT?
Most of the nation's religious groups have intervened to support the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Enacted by Congress in 1993 and signed into law by President Clinton, it requires that government justify "burdens" or restrictions on religious practice. But critics, including American Atheists, charge that the Act is both unconstitutional and unfair; it creates a class of "special rights" which apply to religious believers and organizations, and discriminates against the rest of the population. 10% of Americans identify themselves as Atheists, agnostics, freethinkers or skeptics of some kind in matters of religion. In addition to these 25,000,000 citizens, tens of millions of other Americans are "unchurched," and do not regularly attend religious services. RFRA thus creates an exceptional category of rights for believers, while demanding that all others -- including Atheists -- must obey the law. Who's supporting the Religious Freedom Restoration Act? Among the members of the "Coalition for the Free Exercise of Religion" are:| American Association of Christian Schools American Baptist Churches American Conference on Religious Movements American Ethical Union American Humanist Association American Jewish Committee American Muslim Council Baptist Joint Committee B'nai B'rith Christian Church Christian Life Commission (SBC) Christian Science Committee Church of the Brethren Church of Scientology Council on Religious Freedom | Council on Spiritual Practices Episcopal Church Seventh-day Adventists Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Mennonite Central Committee Mystic Temple of Light National Association of Evangelicals National Council of Churches National Council on Islamic Affairs National Sikh Center Peyote Way Church of God Presbyterian Church Soka-Gakkai International Unitarian Universalists United Church of Christ |
In addition to these religious groups, other support for the RFRA is coming from organizations identified with both religious right activism and liberal causes. Other Coalition members include the Christian Legal Society, Concerned Women for America,and the Home School Legal Defense Association. At the other end of the spectrum are Americans for Democratic Action, People for the American Way Action Fund, and even Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT
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