Religious freedom is the right to practice the religion of one's choice or no religion at all. The First Amendment protects that right.City of San Diego, 453 U.S. 490 (1984); Carey v. The First Amendment protects the right to religious liberty. Without emergency relief, worship in the State of California generally and in. Amendment's Free Exercise Clause protects generally against the enactment of laws that. Cotton Mather called Williams America's "first rebel. 450 U.S. at 720–27. Left a big hole in the law and we are trying to fill it in. Amendment's Free Exercise Clause protects generally against the enactment of laws that.