Natural rights philosophy argues that individuals possess inborn rights by virtue of their birth as human beings, rather than through a grant from a government or ruler. Because these rights inhere, they precede a person’s entry into citizenship in a particular polity, and persist throughout his or her life. Governments are formed to defend these natural rights, and may not abridge them.

Washington defines personal religious belief, or in his words “freedom of conscience,” as an inherent human right that cannot be infringed upon by government, a religious majority, or any religious institution. Washington’s words are reflected in the First Amendment, which guarantees that “Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise” of religion.