Native American Religious Freedom

Abstract

This chapter explores the paradox that while the First Amendment guarantees free exercise of religion, the native Americans in the United States were unable to avail of it. The historical and empirical evidence provided by their case seems to confirm the thesis of the book that the concept of religious freedom cannot be divorced from one’s concept of religion. Christian America applied its own concept of religion and religious freedom to them, leading to its curtailment. The reason underlying this was the fact the special role played by psychedelic substances, land, and community in the native American religions life could not be adequately recognized within the Western concept of religion.