Right-wing radio host Bryan Fischer says First Amendment only protects Christians
Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association said Tuesday that the founding fathers intended the First Amendment to only protect Christianity, not Islam or any other religions.
On his radio program, called Focal Point, Fischer said the word "religion" in the First Amendment referred to Christianity alone. That is why, according to Fischer, Satanists cannot seek equal representation at the Oklahoma statehouse grounds.
"At the time of the founding [of the United States], 99.8 percent of the population of the colonies were Christians. The other 0.2 percent were Jews," he said.
"But the point is, by 'religion' the founders were thinking of Christianity," Fischer continued. "So the purpose was to protect the free exercise of the Christian faith. It wasn't about protecting anything else."
"They weren't providing any cover or shelter for the free exercise of Islam or even Judaism or even atheism. They weren't saying you can't do it -- I want to be clear on that -- they weren't prohibiting that, they were just saying that is not what we are talking about here."
Fischer noted that a group of Satanists are seeking to erect a monument at the Oklahoma statehouse. The Satanists say the statehouse cannot erect a Ten Commandments monument but deny religious displays that honor other faiths.
"Here is where the definition of the word religion becomes absolutely critical," he said. "If by 'religion' the founders meant Christianity, then you can ban a monument to Satan because that is not Christianity."
"But if by 'religion' you mean any system of belief, whether it is Christian or not, then you have no way to tell the Satanists you can't have your monument."
Watch video, uploaded to YouTube, below: