XENOPHOBIA RELIGIOUS RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES By Rev. Patricia Ann Sunday The First Amendment gives all citizens of the United States the right to practice their own religion unhindered by the Federal Government. This Amendment guards the Freedom of the Press; Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Peaceful assembly and the petitioning of the government for the redress of grievances. Our very freedoms are what may undermine our Government at the very core of what our forefathers meant this to mean believing that they came from countries which had state churches and you had to be a member of that state church. They found a need to break away from the state in order to practice the form of Christianity not connected to a big mother church. Now Islam is as much a “Big Mother Church” as the Holy Roman Catholic Church is. This picture was found in my local newspaper of a group of Muslim men praying at my favorite beach spot. On one occasion at the local mall I watch as a Muslim woman threw out her rolled up prayer rug which she conveniently carried around with her and began kneeling and praying to her god. I was shocked because if a Christian did this in our nation of Freedom of Religion then we would be quickly ejected from the premises. I began to think they are just daring anyone to touch them. I also thought what a bunch of wusses we Christians are. And I am using this platform as a call to arms of Christian. Now don’t get excited people. I am not talking about guns but swords. The Sword of the Spirit…which is the Word of God. Be bold. Talk about your God; Play your Christian music full blast like the hip hoppers and the Rap Crappers. Pray out loud in public and praise the Lord at your local places of business. If other religions have Freedom of Religion then so do you. They may have actually done Christians a favor by emboldening us to our rightful place with God. After all…the Bible says “if we are ashamed of Him on earth then He will be ashamed of us in Heaven. Shalom