The Modern Threats to Religious Freedom: They Are Greater than One May Think
Modern Threats to Religious Freedom:
They Are Greater than One May Think
By William L. Anderson / LewRockwell.com
The latest issue of Newsweek devotes its cover story to the Christian faith of George Bush. While I have only given the stories cursory reading, I can imagine that many Christians, or at least the branch of Christians known as Evangelicals, see that story and tell themselves, "We have arrived."
Yet, for all of the hype among Evangelicals that Bush and some of his underlings adhere to Christianity, from what I can see from my vantage point, religious freedom – and especially the freedom for Christians – Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox – to be able to practice their faiths in the future have never been in such peril. All of the building blocks necessary to deprive Christians of their rights already have been enshrined into law and have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Ironically, the Bush Presidency will make it easier for future governments to make Christianity de facto illegal.
On the surface, it would seem that Christianity has never been stronger or more influential in this country. Not only are the president, attorney general, and other cabinet members and advisors open about their Christianity, but Christian books are on the best-seller lists and Christian popular music dominates the radio airwaves. However, for a long time, I have been intensely looking at the current scene and have concluded that (1) the political authorities have squarely targeted Christians and Christianity for harassment and are freely carrying out their agendas at the present time, (2) the historical legal protections in this country for Christianity have been eroded past the point of no return, (3) most Christians are clueless in understanding this situation, and (4) when Christians do happen to recognize dangers to practicing their faith, they tend to endorse legislative and political actions that in the long run will make things even worse for themselves and those Christians who will follow after them.
Posted by Editor at December 21, 2004 06:47 AM
