Today Is Religious Freedom Day, but Save for Empty Proclamations, You Wouldn’t Know It – Opinion

Did you know that today is National Religious Freedom Day? What percentage of people know that this day is recognized?

Let’s see how it all began.

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was adopted by the Virginia State Assembly on January 16th, 1786. It was drafted in 1777 by Thomas Jefferson. The Church of England was disbanded in Virginia and Virginians of other faiths received freedom of religion. Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims all had equal rights in expressing their faith beliefs. Since 1996, Religious Freedom Day has been declared by President Donald Trump.

There are many activities, events and programs that mark this day in schools and other places of worship. Schools should recognize the day throughout the school week before January 16. Freedom of religion is a human fundamental right. Each person has the freedom to express belief in, or change their religion.

It’s going well.

Our very Catholic President published his proclamation Friday, as is customary.

I found it interesting to compare Biden’s proclamation this year with President Donald J. Trump’s proclamation last year.

Both proclamations use similar language about the protection of American’s rights to pursue, or not pursue, their own religious affiliation, and both highlight what the federal government has done to encourage and support this.

While Trump’s proclamation listed measures taken to remove the government’s overreach out of religious assembly and worship and protect American’s right to not be forced to betray their religious conscience, Biden’s proclamation listed the government programs he has either reestablished or instituted to further embed the federal government into religious assembly. Unlike Trump’s proclamation, Biden’s says nothing about protecting religious conscience. What. A. Shock.

With a Department of Defense refusing to accommodate religious exemptions to military service members for the vaccine mandates, on top of Biden’s executive orders which supported the corporate vaccine mandates and firings of healthcare workers—many people of faith—it is apparent that Biden’s concept of religious freedom has little to do with being free, and everything to do with what the government allows.

Vaccine mandates are a force for religion.

Does the military have to be religiously free?
Care to ask about healthcare workers?

Perhaps not all people should be granted freedoms. https://t.co/MrN2o6a19V

— Ross Schumann (@RossSchumann) January 16, 2022

Unique to Trump’s proclamation is how he shone a light on religious persecution both domestically and internationally and took action to combat it. Biden’s proclamation mentions nothing along these lines.

Celebrate with us #NationalReligiousFreedomDayIt is important to remember that around the world, many people are being persecuted due to their faith, with the Uyghurs especially under the oppression of the Chinese Communist Party. It is the embodiment of American exceptionalism to be the voice of the voiceless…

— Mike Garcia (@ElectMikeGarcia) January 16, 2022

Biden does talk about protecting American’s right to gather and increase prosecution of hate crimes. Along with increased funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which offers funding to religious affiliated non-profits and houses of worship to improve their safety and security.

On Saturday however, a Synagogue in Colleyville was taken hostage during shul. A Muslim extremist held Biden hostage. What has been Biden’s response? To demand gun control.

Biden’s FBI: The Islamist terrorist, who held Jews hostage at a Texas synagogue, on Sabbath, was “singularly focused on one issue” that was not “specifically related to the Jewish community.

He then adds “We are continuing to work to find motive.” pic.twitter.com/RUPFhORWbs

— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) January 16, 2022

Because the FBI cannot tie it to some form of “White Supremacy” it treats it as though it is some isolated incident, and has nothing to do with the Jewish community. Even after Biden acknowledged it was an act of terror and antisemitism, he muddled his remarks with gobblygook about “guns off the street,” and background checks being “critical.”

Biden and his Administration cannot draw any straight lines to this picture of religious freedom being attacked. Biden should toss the proclamation. For all of them, the same is true. canned tweetsStarting at his administration.

What is happening with all the continuing battles in the faith community regarding worship gatherings and who are subject to the limitations of vaccinations and masks?

The CDC finally admitted that cloth masks are not effective in stopping the spread of COVID. Omicron has been found to have a lower severity than other variants in South Africa, meaning that people who are not vaccinated will be less likely to become ill or need hospitalization.

Yet churches continue to be Chicken Little, refusing to permit people to worship at their places of worship congregationsIf they don’t have a vaccine or refuse to wear masks,

How is our Nation’s stand for religious freedom going? This is not the case.