Poster by John Johnston of Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, who received an Honorable Mention in the 2003/2004 First Freedom Student Competition.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is the focus of the First Freedom Center?

A: Freedom....It's all about freedom. Religion, speech, press and assembly were the great freedoms contained in the First Amendment of the Constitution and the keystones of our republic. Of these, our first freedom - freedom of religion - is the most distinctly American, but perhaps the least understood or appreciated. Through the educational content of the First Freedom Center, freedom of religion is restored to its place of preeminence in our national consciousness.


Q: Is the First Freedom Center geared toward any particular religion(s)?

A: The First Freedom Center is a non-denominational organization. With an educational focus, the Center does not promote any particular religion, but rather the freedom to believe or not to believe, that is guaranteed to all Americans in the First Amendment, inspired by the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.


Q: We already enjoy religious freedom in the United States. Why should we care about it elsewhere?

A: Philosopher, poet, literary and cultural critic, George Santayana once said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." While Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Mason left the United States a legacy of religious freedom that has protected us from war and persecution, our country has not always encouraged respect for divergent views. Today more than 24 countries are conducting religious wars for control of governments and suppression of opposing religious views. The United States has been spared such conflict because religious expression (or non-expression) with no governmental oversight or control was built into the very fiber of our nation. The United States was the first nation to guarantee freedom of religion as a fundamental human right. Nations without this basic freedom are plagued with persecution, war and terror. To think that this terror can be confined is optimistic. The horrific events of 9/11/01 proved that the United States is not immune from the religious persecution and conflict that plague the global community. We must remember the past as we work to ensure a safer future.


Q: Is the First Freedom Center a left- or right-wing group?

A: In addition to being non-denominational, the First Freedom Center also is a non-political organization. We advocate neither a "left wing" or "right wing" agenda or approach to religious freedom. An important part of being an educational organization is being politically neutral, and we are diligent about preserving that neutrality.


Q: Where does the First Freedom Center stand on issues such as school vouchers, homosexual clergy and the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance?

A: As a non-political organization, the Center does not take a stand on such issues. We will "teach the controversy" by presenting visitors with all sides of contemporary issues of religious freedom, encouraging individuals to reflect on the issues and form their own opinions. As advocates of the inalienable freedom of conscience, we encourage people to exercise that right.


Q: Where does the money for the Center come from?

A: The Center is a public-private partnership. Thus, funds are being provided by a number of substantial, private leadership gifts and foundation grants, and individual gifts at all levels from donors nationwide.


Q: How is atheism handled in the Center's exhibitions and content?

A: An important part of freedom of conscience is the freedom not to believe in any particular faith or creed. As a non-denominational organization, the Center does not promote any individual religious group or religion in general. The First Freedom Center is a celebration of freedom, not religion.


Q: Does the First Freedom Center offer a curriculum for teachers?

A: Yes! Teachers are able to access new lesson plans on the website, developed from core curriculum outlined by constitutional scholars, historians and teachers from around the nation; attend workshops at the Center that teach this crucial and sometimes controversial topic, and; enjoy countless other resources to supplement and creatively explore their curricula.


Q. How long has the First Freedom Center been in the works?

A: The First Freedom Center has been in existence since 1984, working quietly to preserve and promote America's legacy of religious freedom. In the past, this mission was accomplished through programs like the annual First Freedom Student Competition in which high-school students examine the history and current-day relevance of religious freedom; the First Freedom Awards, which recognize Virginia, national and international champions of religious freedom; and Project B.R.I.D.G.E., a Bosnian youth program. In recent years the Center has further developed its vision, expanding its programming and acquiring the historic (and adjacent) site of the interim Capitol of 1786, where the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was enacted into law, to expand the Center (no small feat).


Q. Does America really need another museum or education center?

A: The annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom finds that the situation for religious freedom around the world is getting worse, not better. This worsening state underscores the importance of education on this most fundamental human right, a gap in education the First Freedom Center seeks to fill.

The United States is the birthplace of religious freedom, an enduringly positive and powerful association of international significance. If James Madison hadn't successfully steered Thomas Jefferson's bill through to adoption in Virginia, religious freedom and separation of church and state, new ideas not welcomed by everyone, might well not have been articulated and protected in the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution.

The First Freedom Center stakes this ground for the United States and makes this statement to the world. It welcomes visitors for an on-site experience here and reaches out from the Center to classrooms across this country and to homes and advocates around the world. The work of the First Freedom Center is unlike any other in the world.