Reynolds v. United States

In Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145, 25 L. Ed. 244 (1878), the Court upheld the federal bigamy conviction of a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for practicing polygamy in accord with religious beliefs. The Court traced the genesis of the First Amendment and the historical treatment of polygamy and held that the practice of polygamy was not protected by the First Amendment. Reynolds, 98 U.S. at 162-66. In reaching this result, the Court distinguished between belief and conduct and concluded that "Congress was deprived of all legislative power over mere opinion, but was left free to reach actions which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order." Id. at 164. The Court explained: Laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices. . . . . Can a man excuse his practices to the contrary because of his religious belief? To permit this would be to make the professed doctrines of religious belief superior to the law of the land, and in effect to permit every citizen to become a law unto himself. Id. at 166-67.