Tennesee Proposes the God is the Author of Liberty
The First Amendment of the United Stated requires that the government remain neutral in religious matters. It isn’t government’s purpose to advance a particular religion or even the cause of religion in general. The only role of government regarding religion is to protect religious freedom.
This posits that God is the author of liberty. It is irrelevant that I happen to agree with the statement. But an American - a religious American - might point out that Biblical societies were theocratic and didn’t advance religious freedom at all. Sometimes people judged to be idolaters were stoned to death. Free will? Biblical theology affirms that we all have free will -liberty- but to exercise that freedom the wrong way might cost you your life.
It’s like freedom of speech in the USSR. They *always* had freedom of speech, but they didn’t necessarily have freedom *after* speech.
The government has the authority, within constitutional limits, to tell us what we may or may not do - but it has no business telling us what to think - about anything.
My religion is my business and, with respect, I know a whole lot more about my particular religion than anybody in the Tennessee legislature - and while they might have great expertise in matters such as paving roads, I think it is audacity for them to instruct me about my religion. It isn’t their business.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tn-may-change-its-constitution-to-say-god-is-only-source-of-liberty/