What are some well - known First Amendment stories related to freedom of religion?
The case of Reynolds v. United States is a well - known First Amendment story related to freedom of religion. The Supreme Court ruled that while religious belief was protected, religious practices that violated the law, like polygamy in this case, were not. This set an important precedent about the limits of religious freedom under the First Amendment.
In the case of Everson v. Board of Education, the issue of using public funds to support religious activities was at stake. The Supreme Court ruled that while the state could provide certain services like bus transportation to students of religious schools without violating the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, as long as it was for a secular purpose. This case helped clarify the complex relationship between the state and religion under the First Amendment.
There's also the story of the Jehovah's Witnesses and their various legal battles. For example, they had cases where their right to distribute religious literature door - to - door was challenged. The courts had to balance the First Amendment rights of the Witnesses to practice and promote their religion with the rights of homeowners not to be harassed. In many cases, the Witnesses' First Amendment rights were upheld, which helped define the scope of religious freedom in the public sphere.
