Restrictions on worship are unsettling and, in some cases, illegal. But American Christians must
protect the intensity and veracity of the term.
Amid mounting allusions to “persecution” because of the closure of churches on health grounds due to the pandemic, I want to provide some respectful perspective for my fellow American Christians.
I’ve worked my entire 20-year career on international religious freedom, meeting persecuted Christians from around the world. I’ve heard their stories, seen their tears and wounds, and lost friends. From those encounters, I’ve learned persecution is intense, and it is violent.
Therefore, I hope Americans will set the term persecution aside, so it doesn’t lose its intensity or veracity.
The United States is one of the most open and liberal countries for freedom of religion and belief. From our first settlers seeking freedom to practice their faith, to our founding values starting with the First Amendment and consequent laws and now a long-running string of Supreme Court victories, Americans of all faiths (and no faith) have become accustomed to ever-expanding religious liberties. It’s part of American exceptionalism. Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment