Religion and Freedom
As we head towards the 4th of July weekend, we all prepare to celebrate the Independence of our country. This is a time when all Americans celebrate the ideals upon which our nation was founded. The only problem is, people cannot agree on what these ideals actually were.
There is a significant movement now to “re-insert” Christianity into the public sphere. Many people make the argument that, because our founders were Christian, our nation was founded upon Christian values, and therefore is a Christian nation. But more important than the spiritual beliefs held by our founders were their intentions when they declared independence. And although our founders never explicitly addressed religion, (which is why there is so much debate on this topic) it isn’t hard to guess at their intentions. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal”. He did not write, “All Christian people are created equal.” It is in this spirit of equality that we must ensure that our government remains secular.
Sometimes the argument is raised that a secular government is more or less the same as a religious government, because both are based upon ideologies that all might not agree upon. This argument misses the mark. These critics confuse secularism with atheism. Secularism is, by definition, the lack of an theology. It is predicated on the idea that the government shouldn’t force religious views on anyone, thus allowing people to believe whatever they choose to. The beauty of secular governance is that it allows for complete religious freedom (this includes those who do not believe). It is this freedom that has allowed the religious community in the United States to flourish. And while it may seem odd to say it, it is the spirit of secularism that allows for groups like the JRLC. While the people of faith who make up our group may disagree on specific religious beliefs, we can agree on social issues all of which are an integral part of our faith.
Nate Hart-Andersen
JRLC Summer Intern
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