Question

Leaf] Leaf, an employee of the California Department of Forestry, insisted on signing inter-office memoranda with his name and the initials "FOJT", an abbreviation for his church "Followers of Jesus’ Trees". Leaf’s supervisor, Milo, told Leaf there was a rule prohibiting displays of religion at work and insisted that Leaf cease placing the initials of his church on government paperwork. When Leaf refused to follow the work rule, he was terminated.
MC Qu. 05-71 Before his termination, Leaf tells...

1 Before his termination, Leaf tells Milo that he is drafting a California law that would provide funding to his church because the church serves to protect trees and the environment in general. Milo tells Leaf that such a law would violate the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution. Under what circumstances would a state law be permissible under the establishment clause?

Multiple Choice

If it has a secular purpose.

If it has a secular purpose and does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

If the government can prove either (1) it has a secular legal purpose, (2) has a primary effect of neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, or (3) does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

If the government can prove it does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

If it has a secular legal purpose, has a primary effect of neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, and does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

Answer 1

Answer: If it has a secular legal purpose, has a primary effect of neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, and does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion

Explanation:

The Establishment clause prevent the Congress from having a state religion or honig preference to one religion above another one.

The circumstances that a state law would be permissible under the establishment clause include if it has a secular legal purpose, has a primary effect of neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, and does not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.