In the article, “What If There Was No First Amendment”, it details of what life would be like today without the 1st Amendment. It lists that speech, press, assembly, petition and religion itself will be are and would be limited if we continued through the early 1600s without the Amendment. Other religions, opinions against the government, presenting beliefs that were deemed against religion, and all sins would be punishable by law and would result in unorthodox disciplines.

The following are ways that religious law can harm freedoms:

Speech - Opinions about society, race, religion, authority, and rights would be determined if they were Godly or not and the majority that aren’t are punishable by law.

Press - The press cannot produce viewpoints that are deemed irrelevant or unimportant by the government or church.

Religion - Only one religion would exist and other cultures and traditions would be declared intolerable.

Assembly - The community could not rally to protest necessary changes in society.

Petition - The people cannot speak out against the government if they have been wronged or argue for change.

The practices of the early century’s would have still been present if not for the creation of the First Amendment. It quotes in the website, History, “‘Congress shall not 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 grievance” (History.com Editors, 7). This states that the people can give their voice and opinions about society and other religions will be tolerated.

The story of “The Scarlet Letter” takes place during the early 17th century, where religion rules over law. The main character is a prisoner, not as a criminal, but as a sinner. She is then subjugated to a brand of sin and is mocked by the people. This shows that actions are not judged if their right or wrong, but if the government deems it to be unholy. The people not only don’t voice their opinion about society, but willing go with it as it’s the only way that they have lived.

Religion and human law are two separate concepts that should never intertwine. Religion, in my opinion, should be a way to find peace within yourself and your surroundings, and to live a good and honest life. Law should be to judge what is right and wrong and deliver necessary justice. Religious law makes society object to one religion and do away with any other culture and tradition, people’s speech about society would be severely hindered, and humanities freedom would be limited.

History.com Editors, “First Amendment”, History, September 25, 2019,
https://www.history.com/topics/united-states-constitution/first-amendment,
Accessed October 18, 2021

Ken Paulson, “What If There Was No First Amendment”, First Amendment Center/Newseum Institute, 2019,
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/page/what-if-there-were-no-first-amend...,
Accessed October 18, 2021