History Minute (041): The Pilgrims and Puritans did not come to America for religious freedom.

As explained by Constitutional scholar and author Andrew Seidel, the Puritans and Pilgrims did come to America to escape persecution, but not to establish religious freedom. Rather, they came to establish theocracies where their religious beliefs could be enforced by the government. They were intolerant of any religious views that didn't align with their own, to the point of persecuting and executing people with differing views. And they also gleefully committed atrocities against native peoples in the name of their religion. 

When it came time to write the Constitution, these are the very examples that the Founding Fathers looked  at and said this is no way to run a country, and that they deliberately avoided. That is why the Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution to keep religion separate from government.

And by the way, as far as persecution goes: Who was persecuting them in England? Other Christians.

Andrew also provides suggestions for how to discuss this topic with others over the holidays without causing tension. 

Hear the details starting at 45:50 in this podcast:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-sg9ur-28f31217