According to the textbook, an act of congress (the religious freedom restoration act) provides greater protection for the free exercise of religion against federal government infringement than does the free exercise clause of the first amendment. why?

Religious freedom is the freedom to develop and live according to religious beliefs at the same time it does not interfere with the same freedom of others.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 determined that the Government must not burden a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, only if the burden was necessary for the government interest.

It protects religious freedom more than the Free Exercise Clause because the Clause does not protect people from the government’s burden, it only demands religious neutral law, which eventually can be a burden a religion.