Freedom and Fulfillment 37
Constitution Part 2 - Religious Freedom
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Chapter 37 - Constitution Part 2 - Religious Freedom
Brian Mark Weber[i] declared: "The Constitution has been battered and bruised by progressives for more than a century, but now they can smell blood."
Constitutional freedom of religion protects everyone—believers, atheists, and everyone in between. Religious liberty ensures that diverse views and values are shielded from government control or coercion. Whatever one believes, or does not believe, and however one worships, or does not worship, is protected from government interference unless it violates the rights of others. Religious liberty means that people have the right to think, speak, and act according to their core values both privately and publicly. As explained by The Heritage Foundation:[ii]
Religious freedom prevents the cultural majority from using the power of the state to impose their beliefs on others. This protects everyone—religious and nonreligious alike—from the government becoming so powerful that it can tell people what to think and how to act.
There is a long history of governments persecuting and killing people for certain beliefs or non-beliefs. Eventually, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protected the freedom of religion. Governmental favoritism or restriction of religious belief or practice was prohibited. With some notable exceptions, most U.S. citizens have enjoyed religious freedom since 1789.
Religious persecution has continued in many other counties, especially in communist states which strive for absolute control over everything, including religion. As the U.S. has moved toward socialism, many attempts have been made to suppress religion, but they have been resisted, until recently. Now, new and devious schemers are trying to control the way people think, speak, and act.
The proposed nightmare law was deceitfully called "The Equality Act" or HR 5. It was supported by the president and passed in the House and only failed by two votes in the Senate. The extent of depravity and despotism contained in this legislation defies the imagination.
Among other things, "The Equality Act" attempted to displace the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act," thereby granting the government power to restrict or suppress traditional Judeo-Christian thought and behavior. The following quotes summarize troubling aspects of the HR 5 constitutional carnage:
● "It's hard to imagine just how damaging this bill would be. Essentially, it takes every issue the Left feels is a sacred cow and wraps it into one bill—a legislative right to abortion on demand, special privileges for sexual orientation and gender identity, and the abolition of religious freedom...It sticks the government's long talons into practically every area of life." (Tony Perkins)[iii]
● "This legislation has been called the most invasive threat to religious liberty ever proposed in America because of its intent to mandate understandings of sexual orientation and gender identity as expectations for all aspects of society. Anyone who maintains a traditional understanding of human sexuality, gender identity, and marriage will no longer be allowed to disagree out of goodwill and commitment to one’s beliefs but will be treated as one guilty of discrimination." (David S. Dockery)[iv]
● "This does not simply change the law’s legal standard so that government can more freely do what it wants in the areas covered by the Equality Act. This slams the courthouse door to anyone who would even make an argument that government actions under the Equality Act burden their religious freedom." (Jipping and Perry)[v]
If the horrific Equality Act had become law, it would have been like putting a gang of lunatics in charge of society with the legal power to do the following:
1) Teach your child to hate your religion and values.
2) Limit the ways you and your family can exercise your private and public religious beliefs.
3) Convince your child he or she is the opposite of his or her biological gender in direct opposition to Biblical teachings.
4) Immerse your child in all manner of sexual perversion, which goes against your private teachings and against the morals of the religion you embrace.
5) Teach your child to hate you, your family, and your heritage.
6) Convince the government to punish you if you try to rescue your child from any of the above actions, or if you even talk about doing so.
If there is a devil, it appears that the HR 5 gang worked for him and that they intended to trample on religious rights and children. If their desires were fulfilled, they could have fallen under the judgment Jesus pronounced on those who violate children: "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble." (NIV Luke 17:2)[vi]
It's hard to comprehend the level of evil or apathy behind HR 5 and how close it came to annihilating the constitution and people of America. We must work with all our might, mind, and strength to stop the passage or enforcement of anything akin to "The Equality Act."
© Copyright 2024 Gene Van Shaar
[i]https://patriotpost.us/articles/79195?mailing_id=5775&utm_medium=email&utm_source=pp.email.5775&utm_campaign=snapshot&utm_content=body
[ii] https://www.heritage.org/religious-liberty/heritage-explains/religious-freedom-whats-stake-if-we-lose-it
[iii] https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/05/16/family-research-councils-tony-perkins-equality-act-egregious-attack-religious-freedom/
[iv] https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2021/march/equality-act-people-of-faith-and-religious-freedom.html
[v] https://www.heritage.org/religious-liberty/commentary/equality-act-would-cancel-religious-freedom