Free Exercise of Religion, Reynolds v. United States

[A18]

Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145 (1878)

The Supreme Court held that a federal statute prohibiting polygamy in the territories was constitutional, even though the statute seemed to infringe, in some sense, on the free exercise rights of various members of the Mormon Church.

[Emsworth]

Sound (normal). Religious belief does not exempt anyone from the general laws of the land.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Unsound.  As long as Reynolds did not have more than one wife under the law, and the facts would appear to bear that out, however many wives he had under his religion is of no import.  At worst, he could be charged with adultery under the law, but that was not the charge that was brought.