The day before yesterday, I saw a car in a parking lot with writing in the back window. I guess it was written in the kind of paint people use to cheer on their favorite team, wish this year’s graduating class success, or announce their marriage. Instead, what was written in the window was angry, hateful, and profane. Mainly, it said that religious people should keep their religion out of public policy.
Tough subject.
The writing in the window said that America is not “the land of the free,” because the religious values of some of the people are being forced on all of the people. It was pretty clear that the unspoken issue was freedom of choice regarding abortion.
I would argue that America is not “the land of the free” unless all Americans are free to advocate for what they believe to be “the right thing to do” - whether the values they support are based on the tenants of their religion, politics, or “freedom from religion.” Some religious Americans think that God is the ultimate moral authority. Others recognize no moral authority greater than the self.
In “the land of the free,” all of us have the right to advocate for our values in the “marketplace of ideas” - peacefully and without hatred and vitriol. Respecting the rights of others, we should be allowed to try to persuade others to agree with our way of thinking - without being threatened or disrespected. All Americans must be permitted to help create a just and humane society.
In a country that is truly the “land of the free,” there is no excuse for attempts to threaten or intimidate. We can have spirited debate, but we all must realize that nothing will get fixed until we are all willing to move toward each other; rather than away from or against each other.
Recently, there have been pro-choice demonstrations near the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C. and near the Justices’ residences. People have the right to lawfully demonstrate, but attempting to pressure or intimidate the court while they are deliberating on a case is illegal. The demonstrators should have the self-discipline to voluntarily locate their protests where the peace and dignity of the Supreme Court is not violated.
There have also been demonstrations near Christian churches. Roman Catholic churches appear to have been singled out because of the strong anti-abortion stance the Roman Catholics have taken. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives Roman Catholics and other Christians the right to “free exercise” of their religious beliefs. They must be allowed to do so without crowds of protestors interfering with access to their churches.
I was saddened by what was written on the back window of that car. My desire for America is that we can rise above that kind if hatred and treat each other with dignity and kindness.
Christ spoke to us about the world’s intolerance, however, so I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise:
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:18-27 ESV) *
* https://biblehub.com/esv/john/15.htm
Christians, let’s pray that the Holy Spirit
will strengthen us, so that we can be faithful witnesses for Jesus. In the power of the Spirit, we can have the
courage to lovingly declare God’s Word in the face of opposition from angry
people.
