|
Home :
Religion and Belief
|
ACLU Files Lawsuit To Protect Religious Liberty Of New Jersey Prisoner
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of New Jersey today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a New Jersey prisoner, an ordained Pentecostal minister, who is asking the state to respect his religious freedom by restoring his right to preach. MORE >>
ACLU Seeks Documents Outlining Government Policies On Teens' Access To Reproductive Health Services
The ACLU asked a federal court to order the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to release documents outlining U.S. policy limiting refugee and undocumented teenagers access to important reproductive health services, including contraceptives and abortion.
> Press release
San Bernardino County Agrees To Allow Religious Head Scarves In County Jails
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Southern California reached an agreement with San Bernardino County to institute policies that accommodate the First Amendment right to wear religious head scarves in jail. MORE >>
ACLU Sues School District For Punishing Kindergarten Student Because Of Family's Religious Beliefs
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas have sued a south Texas school district for forcing a five-year-old kindergarten student to stuff his long hair - part of his American Indian religious heritage - down the back of his shirt in order to conform with a dress code that prohibits boys from wearing long hair. MORE >>
ACLU PROGRAM ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF
The American Constitution and Bill of Rights introduced a new relationship between religion and government. Prior to 1789, almost every European country maintained a close relationship between church and state. James Madison, the principal drafter of the First Amendment, proposed that, unlike European states, the government should not tax its citizens to support religious activities, nor should it promote religious beliefs, and that all religious beliefs should be treated equally and fairly. He believed that religion would thrive best when the government did not promote some religious beliefs to the exclusion of others.
Madison's ideals, now embodied in the Constitution, were exactly right. Americans enjoy more religious freedom than do people in any other country in the world.
Unfortunately, some people are now trying to use government power to promote religion in exactly the way the Constitution wisely rejected. The ACLU works to ensure that people remain free to choose which religious beliefs (or none) they wish to express and that governments, school boards, and legislatures do not become involved in deciding which religious beliefs should be promoted or in spending taxpayer dollars to support religious activities and symbols.
FAQs ABOUT THE ACLU AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
> Does the ACLU want to remove crosses from federal cemeteries?
> Does the ACLU object to federal employees bowing their heads? |
ACLU Files Federal Lawsuit To Protect Religious Liberty Of New Jersey Prisoner (12/3/2008)
TRENTON, NJ – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of New Jersey today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a New Jersey prisoner, an ordained Pentecostal minister, who is asking the state to respect his religious freedom by restoring his right to preach.
ACLU Secures Religious Freedom For Muslim Prisoners At Wyoming State Penitentiary (11/20/2008)
RAWLINS, WY – The American Civil Liberties Union has struck an agreement with officials at the Wyoming State Penitentiary that will allow Muslim prisoners to maintain their religious practices and beliefs while still being able to eat daily meals.
Court Showdown Averted as Town Allows Homeless Ministry to Resume Operations (11/19/2008)
Pittsburgh – This morning U.S. District Chief Judge Donetta Ambrose signed an order allowing the First Apostles' Doctrine Church to resume housing homeless people as part of its ministry. The Borough of Brookville and the church reached an agreement late yesterday, averting an emergency court hearing scheduled for this afternoon.
Victory For Native American Religious Freedom (11/19/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Today the ACLU of Louisiana (ACLU) and the Native American Rights' Fund in Boulder, Colorado (NARF) announced a victory on behalf of a Native American child attending public school in St. Tammany Parish. Curtis Harjo is a five-year-old Native American child who wears his hair in a neat braid down his back. The Harjo's religion, like that of many Native Americans, includes a belief that hair should not be cut, except as a symbol of mourning upon the death of a loved one. The principal at Curtis' elementary school advised his mother that he would be required to cut his hair to continue to attend school even though to do so would violate his family's religion.
ACLU of Pennsylvania Defends Church Forced to Shut Down Its Ministry to Homeless (11/17/2008)
Pittsburgh - The ACLU of Pennsylvania filed suit today to defend the right of First Apostles' Doctrine Church, an evangelical Christian church in Brookville, Pennsylvania, to practice its religious beliefs through its outreach ministry to the homeless. The borough recently shut down the ministry by citing the church for zoning violations and voting unanimously to refuse the church's request to resume housing homeless people in the parsonage.
VIEW ALL
|
