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SPEARHEADING SOCIAL REFORM
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
According to the Creed of the Church of Scientology, Scientologists believe that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance, and that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights.
However, like all of man’s treasured freedoms, freedom of religion is maintained only through vigilance and refusal to succumb to those who seek to enslave and suppress.
Over the years, the Church of Scientology has been a leader in championing the cause of religious freedom for all. It strongly believes that as the United States was founded on this principle, separation of church and state forms an essential base for all other freedoms. And that continuous attempts by government to encroach upon this right must be strenuously fought, for this is the sign of an oppressive government.
During the 1970s one of the methods used by vested interests to undermine religious freedom in the United States was a broad-scale propaganda and lobbying campaign directed at both state and federal legislatures. Efforts were made to introduce bills which would have legalized the activities of antireligious hate groups, restricted the legitimate dissemination activities of churches and given state agencies the green light to take control of day-to-day church operations.
Through the dedicated work of Scientologists and friends in other religious groups, antireligious legislation of this type met defeat in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas.
 
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