<P> Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances . </P> <P> The "Establishment Clause," stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," is generally read to prohibit the Federal government from establishing a national church ("religion") or excessively involving itself in religion, particularly to the benefit of one religion over another . Following the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and through the doctrine of incorporation, this restriction is held to be applicable to state governments as well . </P> <P> The "Free Exercise Clause" states that Congress cannot "prohibit the free exercise" of religious practices . The Supreme Court of the United States has consistently held, however, that the right to free exercise of religion is not absolute . For example, in the 19th century, some of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints traditionally practiced polygamy, yet in Reynolds v. United States (1879), the Supreme Court upheld the criminal conviction of one of these members under a federal law banning polygamy . The Court reasoned that to do otherwise would set precedent for a full range of religious beliefs including those as extreme as human sacrifice . The Court stated that "Laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices ." For example, if one were part of a religion that believed in vampirism, the First Amendment would protect one's belief in vampirism, but not the practice . </P> <P> The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the religious civil rights . Whereas the First Amendment secures the free exercise of religion, section one of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits discrimination, including on the basis of religion, by securing "the equal protection of the laws" for every person: </P>

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