Freedom OF Religion
By Mike Lambrecht
In today’s society, many of us have heard the words “freedom of religion.” However, it seems like each day, we hear more and more news about these words being twisted to mean “freedom from religion.” Just recently, the ACLU sued and won to have the Ten Commandments removed from a Lexington, Kentucky courthouse. It seems like each Christmas we read about a city which cancels having a manger scene because someone in their community objects. More and more we can see religion being removed from our public places.
I do not believe this is what the founding fathers intended when they stated, in the first amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights, that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (Italics Added). It certainly seems to me like these rulings are prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
In April, while at a press conference in Turkey, President Obama said, “We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.” Compare this attitude to a statement made by George Washington, one of our most respected founding fathers. He said, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors.”
It seems like something has been lost in the past 234 years. People are afraid to talk about their religion in public for fear that it may offend someone, or may not be politically correct. I say it is time to stand up for religion in public—but don’t take my word for it, let’s examine the words of the Church on the issue.
The Catholic Church teaches that, “The civil authority ‘must help to create conditions favorable to the fostering of religious life so that the citizens will be really in a position to exercise their religious rights and fulfill their religious duties.’”1 In other words, the Church tells us that it is the duty of government to enact laws which foster religious life, rather than inhibit it. The document continues, “But there are forms of government under which, despite constitutional recognition of the freedom of religious worship, the public authorities themselves strive to deter the citizens from professing their religion.”2 Does this sound familiar? This seems to be the case in America today. While the first amendment gives us the freedom to practice religion, it appears as if the government is taking every opportunity it can to remove religion from the public’s eyes.
Again, the Church tells us that, “The disciple has a grave obligation to Christ, his Master, to grow daily in his knowledge of the truth he has received from him, to be faithful in announcing it and vigorous in defending it.”3 In other words, we are not only obliged to learn more about Christ, but to proclaim him and defend him in our daily lives. This is quite interesting when we think about it. How many times have we heard someone make an unkind remark about the Catholic Church and remained silent? We are called to speak up in such a situation and to give a defense of our beliefs. This is why it is so important that we continue our education in the faith after Confirmation.
Again we can read in our Church documents, “For all Christians, wherever they live, are bound to show forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of the word, that new man put on at baptism and that power of the Holy Spirit by which they have been strengthened at Confirmation.”4 By virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, we are called to evangelize the world by our actions and example. This is even clearer in the following statement:
Therefore, all sons of the Church should have a lively awareness of their responsibility to the world; they should foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit; they should spend their forces in the work of evangelization. And yet, let everyone know that their first and most important obligation for the spread of the Faith is this: to lead a profoundly Christian life.5
Consequently, we must strive to live lives that are pure and holy. When we claim to be Christians and fail in our moral lives we are giving scandal to others by our actions. When we hear the Catholic Church being bashed and remain silent we are failing in our obligation to Christ. When we see religion being removed from public places, and fail to take action, we are partly to blame for the culture of atheism, agnosticism, and moral relativism which pervades our culture. Do not be afraid to use the gifts bestowed on you at Confirmation. Stand up for religion and live your faith enthusiastically!
1 Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae, paragraph 6.
2 Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae, paragraph 15.
3 Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae, paragraph 14.
4 Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church, Ad Gentes, para. 11.
4 Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church, Ad Gentes, para. 36.