There, they openly practiced polygamy.ĭetermined to clamp down on their polygamy in U.S. Members of the Church ultimately settled in the territory of Utah. Smith was killed by an angry mob in 1844 and was succeded by Brigham Young. The Church faced resistance and even persecution when they settled in many traditionally Christian communities. Joseph Smith based his belief in polygamy on revelations from God, supported by biblical examples of the practice, though the practice was not widespread among his followers. Among the Church’s more controversial practices was polygamy, or men having multiple wives. Throughout the 19th century, the Church faith spread as the charismatic Smith gathered followers. In the 1820s, a man named Joseph Smith had spiritual visions, and from his visions came the new religion of the Church of Latter-day Saints, whose adherents are sometimes refered to as Mormons. It was many years before the Supreme Court heard its first case involving the free exercise clause. The free exercise clause serves another purpose: It prevents the government from interfering with people’s religious beliefs and forms of worship. The establishment clause protects against the federal government’s funding or sponsoring particular religious views. Several states in the early American republic also had established churches. Most British colonies in America before 1776 had “established churches,” churches that received direct financial support from taxpayer money. The phrases establishment of religion and free exercise of religion mean different things. .” Note that initially the First Amendment only limited the actions of Congress, our national legislature, but not the governments of any of the states. Constitution begins with what are known as the religion clauses: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Main Article The Free Exercise of Religion in America When, if ever, may the government limit freedom of religion? The Supreme Court and Congress have grappled with this question.Ī lithograph, done seven years after the killing, depicts the 1844 murder of Joseph Smith, leader of the Church of Latter-day Saints.
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