The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantees of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled by virtue of the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment and the “no religious test” of Article VI.
MRFF recognizes that military life requires individual adherence to shared patriotic principles. MRFF also recognizes the need ... Read More
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantees of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled by virtue of the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment and the “no religious test” of Article VI.
MRFF recognizes that military life requires individual adherence to shared patriotic principles. MRFF also recognizes the need for military personnel to at times temporarily relinquish some Constitutionally granted personal freedoms for the sake of military discipline and objectives.
However, MRFF believes that religious faith is a Constitutionally guaranteed freedom that must never be compromised, except in the most limited of military circumstances, because of its fundamental importance to the preservation of the American nation and the American way of life.
Additionally, MRFF adheres strongly to the principle that religious faith is a deeply personal matter, and that no American has the right to question another American’s beliefs as long as they do not unwontedly intrude on the public space or the privacy or safety of another individual.
Finally, MRFF fully agrees that “Civilization is in a race between education and catastrophe.” (H.G. Wells)
Therefore, MRFF’s mission is to educate the general public and governmental/military authorities of:
• The unique requirements of protecting individual 1st Amendment rights within the structure and environment of the United States Armed Forces.
• The imperative of avoiding imposed or implied religious tests pursuant to any official action of or in association with the United States Armed Forces.
MRFF’s mission also includes providing legal representation when appropriately required to uphold the following principles:
• No religion or religious philosophy may be advanced by the United States Armed Forces over any other religion or religious philosophy.
• No member of the United States Armed Forces may be compelled in any way to conform to a particular religion or religious philosophy.
• No member of the United States Armed Forces may be compelled in any way to witness or engage in any religious exercise.
• No member of the military may be compelled to curtail – except in the most limited of military circumstances and when it directly impacts military discipline, morale and the successful completion of a specific military goal – the free exercise of their religious practices or beliefs.
• Students at United States military academies are entitled to the same Constitutional rights pertaining to religious freedoms and the free exercise of those freedoms to which all other members of the United States Armed Forces military are entitled.
• No member of the military may be compelled to endure unwanted religious proselytization, evangelization or persuasion of any sort in a military setting and/or by a military superior or civilian employee of the military.
• The full exercise of religious freedom includes the right not to subscribe to any particular religion or religious philosophy. The so-called “unchurched” cede no Constitutional rights by want of their separation from organized faith.
• It is the responsibility of the military hierarchy to ensure that the free exercise of religious freedoms of all enlisted personnel are respected and served.
• All military personnel have the right to employ appropriate judicial means to protect their religious rights.
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