The United States Bill of Rights reads “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”. This is known as the Free Exercise Clause. This is the very foundation of the concept of Freedom of Religion in the United States.
The Universal Life Church Monastery believes that all religions are equally valid and shall be respected as just in the eyes of god and man. One of the main tenets of the ULC is respect for all religions and all people who find their path in life through the teachings of whichever religion they find meets their individual needs. That is why one of our central statements of belief is “We Are All Children of the Same Universe”. By respecting all religions as valid, equal and necessary we are taking modern religion to the next level – one where cooperation and passion for the evolution of spirituality of the individual is paramount. We are dedicated to the Constitutional protection of all faiths.
Another goal of ULC is more of a concept and one that we believe strongly in – that of Ecumenical Reconciliation. We strongly believe that all faiths have many commonalities – those historical, textual, emotional and spiritual truisms that bring people together. Faith is very personal and individually important, and yet people of faith all believe that life for themselves and all other sentient beings is better with god than without. To that end, since this central theme is paramount for the concept of Freedom of Religion, we believe that Ecumenical Reconciliation is crucial for the advancement of mankind.
The Universal Life Church has been around for more than 50 years. Over the years, the ULC Church has amassed a large collection of legal arguments, cases, positions and settlements, of which we have been party to. Throughout those years of litigation, the ULC Church has been a focal point for much of the case law which has shaped the way that US Courts of Law view the freedom to practice the religion of your choice and from religious and spiritual persecution and abuse. With extensive legal research, we have compiled this archive of online Universal Life Church legal cases.
We are also introducing a new, broader look at freedom of religion in America through the eyes of the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause within the Constitution and will be bringing new articles, blogs and analysis to show where we’ve been and where we’re going with these crucial concepts that threads their way through the fabric of American life.
Something new to our site: We have created a balanced and thorough examination, and proposal for Marriage Equality. You can read our Proposed Arguments for First Ammendment Marriage Equality here and form your own opinion.
To learn more about our position, please read our Blog site. Here you will find current discussions and a place to make your voice heard on these socially important issues. Take me to the ULC Blog site.