Religious Freedom - What is at stake?

Why must Americans support and protect religious freedom?

What is at stake should religious freedom cease to exist?

Do Americans understand that religion, democracy, and capitalism are intricately intertwined?

We live in a time where there are no generally agreed-upon principles for civil society. Violence, hatred, and extremism dominate communication channels, media narratives and are becoming societal norms. Life continues to erode.

Clayton M. Christensen, former Harvard Business professor, spoke of a profound interaction with a Marxist economist from China. The Chinese Fulbright Fellow recipient noted: “Democracy works here (America) because most people most of the time voluntarily obey the laws . . . Capitalism works because most people voluntarily keep their promises” (Christensen C. , 2009). Why do most people keep their promises? What drives this moral and ethical behavior?

Religion.

Approximately 74% of the world’s population subscribe to a religious organization (Sherwood, 2018). Pew Research conducted a religious landscape study, and the findings are fascinating. Religion provides the foundation for understanding what is right and wrong and how to live. Situational ethics were argued by 78% of unaffiliated individuals (Pew Research Center, n.d.). Many Americans attend a church or synagogue regularly. Religious tenets form the basis of civil community and societal cohesion. Religious traditions overwhelmingly teach adherents to (a) voluntarily obey the laws, (b) respect others and their property, (c) tell the truth, and (d) respect life and freedom.

Lord John Fletcher Moulton, the great English jurist, declared, “The probability that democracy and free markets will flourish in a nation is proportional to the extent of obedience to the unenforceable” (Holland, 2013).

Some leaders argue that secularism must operate as the guiding societal structure, particularly when combined with logical thinking skills (McConnell, 2019). Is critical thinking enough to prevent societal dissolution? Analytical thinking, amoral societies, and the failure to account for religion as the very fabric of society leave this ideology flat.

“Those who assume that the atheistic religions of secularism are a better backbone for freedom and prosperity than the theistic ones that they are trying to push under the back seat, have a huge burden of proof which they’ve not had the intellectual fortitude to discuss, let alone or propose as viable solutions” (Christensen C. , 2011). Christensen (2011) continues: “What institutions are they (secularists) proposing to establish that have enduring power to teach the next generation of Americans to enthusiastically obey unenforceable laws? I have been carefully listening for 12 years for a cogent response to these questions from a disciple of atheism and secularism. So far, at least, they seem to have nothing to say.”

What kind of society would exist if we stripped religious teachings, morals, and beliefs from our cultures? What would happen if the basic units for societal function, those unenforceable ethical and moral behaviors, ceased? Would logical thinking produce a society in which you would want to live? How often would the words “that’s not fair” be echoed or spoken in anger? Further, who or what would those individuals be appealing to? These statements of fairness indicate moral absolutes exist!

What happens when families, communities, and nation/states no longer promote, support, or sustain religious freedom? Democracy and capitalism fail.

As the Fulbright Fellowship recipient from China expressed to Professor Christensen, “religion is critical to democracy and capitalism” (Christensen C. , 2011).

References

Christensen, C. (2009, May 16). The importance of asking the right questions. Retrieved from Southern New Hampshire University Commencement Speech: https://www.longwoods.com/content/22212/insights/the-importance-of-asking-the-right-questions

Christensen, C. (2011, February 8). Religion is the foundation of democracy and prosperity. Realism, idealism and . . . religion? Mormon Perspectives.

Fletcher Moulton, J. (n.d.).

Holland, J. (2013). Faith, family and freedom. J. Reuben Clark Law Society Conference. Washington, D.C.

McConnell, L. (2019, Nov 5). Global leaders speak: Investigating specific strategies required to neutralize and successfully reduce radicalization and extremism. ProQuest Dissertation and Theses.

Pew Research Center. (n.d.). Religious landscape study. Religion & public life.

Sherwood, H. (2018, Aug 27). Religion: Why faith is becoming more and more popular. The Guardian.