Religious Freedom Today

The right to choose one’s religion is a basic human right. Yet Christians (and people of other religions) have faced persecution since Jesus Christ walked on this earth. Jesus himself was persecuted. Until Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., Christians faced repeated persecution, even death.

The Edict of Milan legalized Christianity. Christianity became the primary religion in Europe and spread throughout the world. However, people today are not always free to practice their religion.

In recent months, Nicaragua has expelled many Catholics from their country, including whole religious orders and bishops. China severely restricts religious freedom (not just Christians). If you want to belong to a church in China, you must register with the Chinese government and follow what the government says. People who teach religious beliefs that go against what the government says are arrested.

There are countries where it can be illegal to own a Bible or to gather for Christian worship. Internet searches identify as many as 55 countries where it might be illegal to own a Bible or worship in public. The number is uncertain as some countries do not have explicit laws prohibiting Bibles or public worship but do ban/restrict them.

In the United States freedom of religion is one of our founding principles, explicitly guaranteed by the first amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Unfortunately, there are people today who are not interested in “freedom of religion.” They want “freedom from religion.” They want no public talk about religion. Not allowing people to speak about their religion openly violates the first amendment’s guarantee of “free exercise” of religion and freedom of speech.

We see restrictions on religious beliefs when health care workers are told they must provide assisted suicide services and abortions or quit their jobs. Here, we are not even talking about people protesting against abortion or assisted suicide. Freedom of speech, including peaceful assembly, is guaranteed in the first amendment but pro-life health care workers are not looking to protest. They simply want “free exercise” of their religion in not being forced to perform procedures that go against their beliefs. This does not deny the patient the procedure. They can go to another health care worker/facility.

This now extends to pharmacists who object to the birth control pill based on religious beliefs to be forced to fill prescriptions for the birth control pill.

It goes even further now. Some government laws and policies say health care workers must provide “gender transition surgeries.” These surgeries go against our Catholic faith. Even if one were to think that such procedures should be allowed, I can’t understand why you were want to force health care workers to do “gender transition surgeries” against their will. Is this not a very specialized surgery involving extensive training? For the safety of the person who seeks to have this surgery, shouldn’t the government be working to ensure only well-qualified health care workers are involved?

Those in favor of abortion, assisted suicide, and “gender transition surgeries” say that anyone who seeks these procedures must be free to have them. Freedom is exactly what we seek for healthcare workers who oppose these procedures. (We call it conscientious objection.) Why does the freedom of one person to have any of these procedures trump the freedom of the health care worker who objects? I repeat, “This does not deny the patient the procedure. They can go to another health care worker/facility.”

Lastly, I would like to offer a thought on freedom of speech. I don’t understand why those who support abortion, assisted suicide, and LGBTQ rights are free to express their opinions while those of us against these are accused of hate speech. Is it wrong to call for attacks on abortion facilities and on individuals who live as LGBTQ people? Yes, it is! To call for attacks is indeed hate speech and we want nothing to do with that. What we seek in speaking in public our beliefs is to help people make a good choice. We want them to hear our side. A person is not really free to make their own choice if they are not offered the other side’s opinion.

I pray that we be able to have what the first amendment guarantees, the free exercise of our religion.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff