To the editor:
As Alexis de Tocqueville stated "Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith." And I'm sorry to say there is little or no faith among the "leaders" in Washington, D.C.
Religious freedom in America is under attack from the left.. James Madison, the father of our Constitution, referred to the "right of conscience as "the most sacred of all property" - our greatest possession." -
Amendment I of the U S Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Religious liberty is an inherent right, endowed by the Creator and based in our dignity as human persons, created in God's image. www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/
The threat to America's religious liberty is so grievous that churches across the country are announcing the "Fortnight for Freedom," a program of public action and special events to "highlight the importance of defending our first freedom." The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for the period from June 21, when the church commemorates Catholic martyrs to political persecution, through Independence Day, to be dedicated to this "Fortnight for Freedom."
In an article titled "A Statement on Religious Liberty," the bishops make the case that religious liberty is "more than freedom of worship."
Religious liberty is not only about our ability to go to church on Sunday or pray at home. It is about whether we can make our contribution to the common good of all Americans. Can we do the good works our faith calls us to do, without having to compromise that very same faith?
What is at stake is whether America will continue to have a free, creative, and robust civil society-or whether the state alone will determine who gets to contribute to the common good, and how they get to do it.
Restrictions on religious liberty are an attack on civil society and the American genius for voluntary associations.
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America observes:
"Most troubling, is the Administration's underlying rationale for its decision, which appears to be a view that if a religious entity is not insular, but engaged with broader society, it loses its 'religious' character and liberties...
"The Administration's ruling makes the price of such an outward approach the violation of an organization's religious principles."
As the bishops observe:
This is not a Catholic issue. This is not a Jewish issue. This is not an Orthodox, Mormon, or Muslim issue. It is an American issue.
www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/06/catholic-bishops-declare-a-fortnight-for-freedom.html
Karl Marx once said: "The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion." I'm afraid that many in Washington support Karl Marx, or at least his form of socialism.
Again Alexis de Tocqueville writes "Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: While democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
Some politicians, who claim to have religion, have an agenda that closely parallels that put forth by Satan prior to this world's founding. They pretend to have the best interests of their country at heart, yet their policies and programs have been demonstrated to create dependence on the government and destroy the self-sufficiency that comes when a person uses his God-given ability to make choices for himself and his family.
technologyvault.hubpages.com/hub/Democrats-and-the-Devil
Our group has had a "Life Chain" rally in Lewistown for many years and we will continue in our efforts to make the government stop the pro-abortion agenda of those in Washington, D.C.
The one difference this year will be our inclusion of prayers and efforts to have our God-given rights of the first amendment protected.
Life Chain will be held Sunday, Oct. 7, at 1 p.m.
Some people hate almost everything about America, including the very ideas of limited government, individual rights, private property, self-defense, free enterprise, and free speech.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has introduced a bill called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012 that would restore liberty of conscience to religious groups. Evangelical leaders are allying en masse with other Christians and Jews. The Respect of Rights of Conscience Act that has already been introduced in the House and Senate The bill has 135 co-sponsors, including Rubio. Contact your congressman.
"It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and claws after he shall have entered." -Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1784
Frank Cunningham
Milroy
Citizens Concerned With Human Life Mifflin Juniata Inc.
