Religious Freedom: The Best Thing the Newsroom Has Published

[Anonymous]

Everyone, please read the article at this link. I didn’t have high hopes for an article about religious freedom, but I was dead wrong. It is wonderful.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/international-religious-freedom-bridge-strong-weak?__prclt=F9PeWXUb

Please share whatever part(s) are your favorite.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

But freedom of religion or belief can help. The worth of a right is found in its ability to protect both majority and minority. This freedom operates on two fronts. As law it secures the free exercise of religion; as social norm it fosters respect for differences and disagreements. No country is perfect at this. But by bestowing dignity on our beliefs, religious freedom ties us all together, including those who profess no religion.

Consider an example from the West African country of Cameroon. Under threat of terrorist attacks, Christian and Muslim congregations took turns protecting each other. On Fridays Christians guarded the mosques during community prayer, and on Sundays Muslims guarded the churches during worship services.[8]

Such reciprocity is vital because the majority and the minority often trade places. What is popular at one time becomes unpopular at another. Every religion undergoes the fluctuations of prominence and obscurity. The cultural group that enjoys privilege today may lose it tomorrow. Power is not permanent. So, a religious freedom that protects the little guy is also the best security for the big guy. Safety is not in numbers; safety is in justice.

[Anonymous]

SD beat me to it. This is my favorite too.

[Anonymous]

It does make me think, “in the US we don’t have any persecutions like that in the least” but I sure feel like the church leaders feel there is a full court press on religion (just because gay marriage was legalized)

[Anonymous]

I concur with LH. It is one of the best articles from the newsroom, but can we hold it up to ourselves with honesty. Do we, as the one true leadership team on the earth, do we protect minorities with as much vigor as the article intends?

The article fits my heart dream to T. I hope as a church we really can begin to embrace it.

[Anonymous]

LookingHard wrote:

I sure feel like the church leaders feel there is a full court press on religion (just because gay marriage was legalized)

I had the same thought. Call me skeptical, but the article seems to be painting Christians as a minority, feeding into the “religious freedom is under attack” theme the church has been pushing in the US. When the reality here is the opposite, that Christians are still the majority, and many are pushing to allow people to legally discriminate against others because of their religious beliefs.

[Anonymous]

LookingHard wrote:

It does make me think, “in the US we don’t have any persecutions like that in the least” but I sure feel like the church leaders feel there is a full court press on religion (just because gay marriage was legalized)

This.

Utah, LDS Church join ‘friend of court’ briefs in transgender bathroom case

Not to stir the pot, this is one of those issues where either side could convince me of the merits of their position, I’m not trying to make a statement. I only post this because I wonder who is the strong and who is the weak? Because “some are bigger, older, richer and better connected than others.”

How much of the church’s position is worry over losing actual religious freedom and how much of the position is concerned with losing a seat at the table of power and influence in society? Frankly I wonder whether some leaders would be content with anything short of an all out theocracy. Congrats… when it’s your religion running the show… I guess.

So once, just once, I’d like to see a church leader start a talk about religious freedom by acknowledging the religious freedom they already enjoy and focus less on presenting religious freedom as something that they lack or as a tool to hold back extending like rights to others.

Of course my little thoughts only extend to the church in the USA, there are global implications, but with the way the phrase “religious freedom” has been tossed around I come to similar conclusions as LH. Someone’s grumpy that gay marriage was legalized.

I did like the article. I hope Elder Gong includes it in his next presentation. :angel:

[Anonymous]

4 hours later – This Llama used it in RS today. We were talking about Zion and I used the Muslim church/Christian church example to point toward a Zion I would like to see.

Thanks Ray for posting it in time for me today.

[Anonymous]

I can disagree with one thing (like the transgender brief) and still agree wholeheartedly with something else (this article). Life is complex like that and not at all black-and-white.

I am glad you were able to use it, mom3. That is one reason I love having it available. No matter the other issues, we now have a wonderful statement about religious freedom needing to apply to everyone – including, explicitly, atheists.

[Author]

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