"As the placenta is to the child in the womb, so religious freedom for all (including full right of public expression) is to the liberties that our North American cultures claim, cherish and protect."
Never thought of it that way before! The thought comes from something said by a character in tonight's PBS 'American Experience/ Frontline series, "God in America".
What do you think?
I think I would agree with the comparison and the statement, but would add "freedom of conscience" to it. There are people out there who are not religious but everyone has a conscience. The part in parenthesis is unclear though. What is meant by "including full right of public expression"?--Is this referring to public expression of religion, such as public worship, or to the right of religious believers to bring their faith into the public square? Also, is freedom of expression an absolute? I think my freedom of expression ends where your dignity is offended. (ie. I prefer not to bump into a nudist on the corner of my street).
ReplyDeleteI do believe however, that we must be allowed to express our faith in words and deeds. After all, we are all believers, the only question is.... in whom and in what.
"...everyone has a conscience."
ReplyDeleteMaybe. Depends on how you define it. However, even if that were true, any one's conscience will not be the same as everyone else's.
And freedom of expression does not stop where someone else's dignity is offended. It stops where someone else's rights are being abrogated. "Dignity" is much too variable in nature to use as a measure of anyone's rights.