WHEREAS the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom disestablished the Church of England in Virginia and guaranteed freedom of religion to people of all religious faiths, including Christians of all denominations, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus when it was enacted into the state’s law on January 16, 1786; and
WHEREAS the substance of the Virginia Statute is incorporated into the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS Thomas Jefferson used the following words to encourage the adoption of the First Amendment: “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State; and
WHEREAS treasonous individuals, groups and institutions in the United States today persist in deliberately misrepresenting the purpose and intent of the Virginia Statute and the First Amendment so that they can unjustly seize power for their own ends and with the intent of subjugating their fellow citizens.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we fully support and endorse the original intent of the Virginia Statute and the First Amendment. We wholly reject any form of state-mandated religion, we wholly reject any religious exemption from obedience to the law, and we likewise wholly reject any restriction on the private exercise of religion; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution is to be spread upon the communication systems of the United States of America by the 47th District Democrats and the Washington State Democrats so that every American can be reminded of our freedoms and the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Submitted to the 47th District Democrats by Sasha Slayton PCO; LD47; with minor modifications by 47th District Democrats Chair Aaron Schuler
