Who knew?
While we are undoubtedly freer religiously than we were in 1786 when the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom [attributed to Thomas Jefferson and the date of its adoption was chosen to establish this day]
came about, there are still unanswered questions.
Religious freedom is like a lot of other freedoms. We all think it is good as long as we only have to think theoretically about the subject and as long as the other religious practices are not TOO strange.
But what about imams in airplanes?
Or creationists in universities?
Or gays or lesbians whose clergy have proclaimed them duly married but whose government thinks otherwise?
Or boys and girls who are obviously not old enough to make their own religious choice being mutilated by circumcision?
Or polygamous people from pseudo-Mormon or other sects?
Obviously there are lines that need to be drawn. Figuring out where they are to be is the problem.
But while the rest of society struggles with these things, W does the easy thing and makes a proclamation.
Maybe what should have been proclaimed was a day of thought.
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2 comments:
Does anybody really know how many “days” are called each year by the government.
Must tye up a lot of paper and plaques.
Tim
Beaver Lake
Do not understemate the value of religious freedom.
Government does not do many things right.
From Christian Post of Sunday, Feb 3:
Muhammad Hegazy, 25, lost his case on Tuesday when Judge Muhammad Husseini of a court in Cairo said according to sharia, or Islamic law, Islam is the final and most complete religion and therefore Muslims already practice full freedom of religion and cannot convert to an older belief (Christianity or Judaism), according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
“He (Hegazy) can believe whatever he wants in his heart, but on paper he can’t convert,” Husseini told the administrative court, according to a member of Hegazy’s legal team to Compass Direct.
Judge Husseini based his decision on Article II of the Egyptian constitution, which makes sharia the source of Egyptian law."
Egyptian authorities pride themselves to Westerners about the religious freedom in their country, but Egyptians have to register their religious affiliations and Christians cannot legally attend Christian services unless they are registered. Can you imagine if we had the government deciding what all of our religions are and who can be part of them?
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