Certainly, our religious convictions may inform our political views, but for most Americans, the line between these two spheres of life is distinct. That is not to say, however, that Americans are not a religious people. We are a very religious people. There are almost 500,000 places of worship in the United States, representing some 3,000 different faiths. This comes out to about one place of worship for every 500 Americans.
More people go to religious services each week in America than in any other country in the world.
Americans are not alone in believing the state has no right to restrict religious freedom. The concept is enshrined in any number of international agreements and conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Helsinki Final Act, and the OSCE Copenhagen Document. Both Uzbekistan and the United States have solemnly pledged to uphold each of these agreements. Such a commitment is easy to make but difficult to fulfill. As simple as our Constitution is, the courts and lawmakers in the United States are still refining their approach to religious freedom after more than two hundred years.