MANSFIELD — Mayor Timothy Theaker officially  proclaimed “Religious Freedom Day “ for January 16th to honor the first freedom listed in the Bill of Rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  In a company of several area clergy, Mayor Theaker read that the President of the United States has acknowledged the occasion since 1993 and that studies show that religiosity is positively related to charity and volunteerism.

Just this past Fall 2017, faith-based relief groups according to the USA Today were cited as providing nearly 80 percent of the aid delivered to communities with homes devastated by the recent hurricanes Irma and Harvey. Ironically, the very faith that motivated Texas churches to help turn the tide in communities in the wake of Hurricane Harvey was the same faith used to exclude them from receiving disaster relief funding according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) policy.

Thankfully, FEMA officials recently announced policy changes allowing churches to receive federal disaster relief funds, striking down over a decade of discrimination based on religious status. 

When speaking about this double standard, the Reverend Eric Byrom of Mansfield Grace Fellowship believes, “Our society has modified the word “tolerance.” Tolerance by definition is the freedom to have different opinions and ideas.  Today individuals that do not conform to socially-accepted religious viewpoints are punished punitively.  Diversity is socially desired; it seems just not when dealing with religion. Despite the world’s prejudice, the LORD still requires us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.” 

Also discussed was that religion contributes $1.2 trillion to the United States annual economy in areas from health care to education to philanthropy; making the benefit of religion for the American economy greater than the top ten tech companies combined, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft.

“Religious organizations have a track record of providing hope and opportunity in this country,” says Reverend Aaron Williams Jr., who serves as the leading pastor of Maddox Memorial Church of GOD in Christ on 1148 Walker Lake Road.

“I am going to preach to the choir and rattle some cages: the faith community cannot take our religious freedoms for granted; we cannot be prisoners to complacency.  It would behoove us to be about our Father’s business while we still can; this is key.  There have been too many martyrs of the faith to neglect their sacrifice.”

The Pew Research Center reported in 2014, that three-quarters of the world’s population are living in countries with high religious restrictions or hostilities.  According to Open Doors USA, the most dangerous places in the world in 2017 for religious persecution are North Korea, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Byrom, whose congregation meets at 365 East Straub Road, is no stranger to international missions.  “We have been to other countries where religious freedoms were noticeably absent.  The Christians we were with had to register to be a Christian and many were forced out of their jobs or just disappeared; we saw the impact on families.  It brings home the point that we should be grateful for the religious freedom we have in America.  There is a spiritual battle.” 

While both pastors have heard the argument that all the wars that have occurred in history were in the name of religion, both agree that this notion is make-believe.

Interestingly, one example that leaves religion skeptics in stunned silence is the 1914 Christmas Eve account when World War One came to a screeching halt.  After six months of fighting each other, nearly 100,000 German and British troops conducted an impromptu truce and began singing together “Silent Night’ and other holiday songs. At least on that night religious faith brought opposing armies together.

Additionally, the “Encyclopedia of Wars,” written by Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod document the history of recorded warfare, and their findings suggest that from 1,763 recorded wars, only seven percent are classified as involving a religious cause.

In the tug of war between government and religion, it bears worth noting that the local proclamation made known that “freedom of religion is the natural right of all humanity and is not a privilege for any government to grant or take away.”

According to religious freedom advocate Liberty First Institute, 2017 in the United States was a banner year: Prayer invocations before public meetings can continue in Michigan. Non-profit ministries do not have to follow the abortion pill mandate. A California Orthodox Jewish synagogue can continue observing a one thousand year old religious ceremony.  A New Jersey teacher cannot be fired for providing a Bible when a student requests it.  A Texas church and its religious school cannot be zoned out of existence from operating on its own property.  In addition, a Tennessee grandfather can read the Bible on a public sidewalk.  And, Pennsylvania high school graduates can give faith-based comments at graduation ceremonies. 

While much work needs to be done, recent successes do provide a moral victory.  In recent days Americans have dodged a bullet; the nation still stands for religious freedom….at least for now.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Second Timothy Three, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”