Justice Deptartment Moves to Protect Religious Freedom
Spear headed by the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, the First Freedom Project espouses goals of increased protection against religion-based discrimination in education, housing, lending and employment, and other laws protecting religious freedom including laws protecting houses of worship from abusive zoning practices.
The initiative may have been spurred partly by a growing trend among local governments to apply their zoning laws to limit the growth of "megachurches," defined as non-Catholic churches with at least 2,000 weekly attendants.
In 2000, Congress enacted the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), in response to what lawmakers considered "massive evidence" of widespread discrimination against religious institutions by state and local officials in land-use decisions.
"Throughout our history, nothing has defined us as a Nation more than our respect for religious freedom," said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, in announcing the First Freedom Project. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…," says the U.S. Constitution in its First Amendment.
Also See:
Zoning Out Megachurches Failing Constitutional Muster
Supreme Court Backs Religious Rights of Prisoners
Church and State: How the Court Decides
Comments
I believe that the freedom to practice religion in this country ought to be rigorously protected. However, that does not mean that religious institutions should not be taxed. I believe that these institutions should be taxed at the same rate as any other business.