Freedom Of Religion Or Freedom From Religion?

Christians around the world are still persecuted for their faith. Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian Christian pastor who was originally sentenced to death for holding on to his faith in that Islamic fundamentalist country, was acquitted of apostasy charges and released from prison on Sept. 8, 2012. His charges were lowered to evangelizing to Muslims, which carried a three-year sentence. . . Read more

Our Lord Jesus walked directly into the path of such persecution during the Jewish Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkoth - Hebrew). 

¹⁰ But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. ¹¹ The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” ¹² And there was much muttering about him among the people.While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” ¹³ Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. . . ²⁵ Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? - John 7:10-25 - ESV

Why the hatred? Why did the Jews seek to kill Jesus? Because he was leading the people astray! From their point of view Jesus' teaching was contrary to God's revelation. According to Mosaic law, such false teaching brought the penalty of death, as is still so in most Islamic countries (Deut. 13:1-5).  

We who have freedom of speech and religious liberty here in the United States have difficulty in understanding such persecution. The United States Courts website says this about Freedom of Speech.

For example, freedom of speech includes the right:

• Not to speak (specifically, the right not to salute the flag).

West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943).

• Of students to wear black armbands to school to protest a war (“Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.”).

Tinker v. Des Moines, 393 U.S. 503 (1969).

• To use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages.

Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971).

In turn, the First Amendment to the American Constitution has two provisions concerning religion: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The Establishment clause prohibits the government from "establishing" a religion. 

The precise definition of "establishment" is unclear. Historically, it meant prohibiting state-sponsored churches, such as the Church of England. 

Today, what constitutes an "establishment of religion" is often governed under the three-part test set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971). Under the "Lemon" test, government can assist religion only if 1) the primary purpose of the assistance is secular; 2) the assistance must neither promote nor inhibit religion; and 3) there is no excessive entanglement between church and state. 

The Free Exercise Clause protects citizens' right to practice their religion as they please, so long as the practice does not run afoul of a "public morals" or a "compelling" governmental interest. For instance, in Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158 (1944) the Supreme Court held that a state could force the inoculation of children whose parents would not allow such action for religious reasons. The Court held that the state had an overriding interest in protecting public health and safety. 

Across the centuries church and state were always tied together. The Latin phrase cuis regio ejus religio, (whose realm, his religion) was the operating principle. In the days of the Reformation the various rulers of the German-speaking states agreed with the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, that this would be the principle in all their divided lands. In the Religious Peace of Augsburg (1555) this agreement finally ended the long conflict between Catholic and Protestant armies in the Holy Roman Empire. But this agreement also marked the beginnings of religious freedom as known in the United States.

In the following two centuries scientific and philosophical developments brought about what came to be called the Enlightenment. During those years diversity of thought brought many also to accept diversity of religion. In their search for new knowledge scholars and political leaders emphasized human reason. Enlightenment thinkers questioned all sorts of established ideas about God, religion and the fundamental laws of nature. Many rejected the concepts of supernatural revelation and miracles. Instead they thought of God as above and outside the world, acting only as the rational architect of the universe. This rational belief, known as Deism, was in sharp contrast to revealed religion as preserved in such books as the Bible and the Quran. 

People like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were avid readers of the great philosophers of the European Enlightenment. They treasured the ideas found in the works of such thinkers as Descartes, Voltaire, Bacon and Locke. These ideas came to be included in the American Constitution. To them religion and worship of God were matters of personal opinion. The state was not to be involved. Each man was alone accountable to his God.

With this background one can easily see why Muslims, Hindus and other religions are so agitated when Christians seek to spread their religious views. In their eyes there can be no separation between religion and the affairs of state. The religious beliefs of the rulers and their people must be intertwined with all public and political matters. Anything less disrupts and destroys peace and unity in the land. Christian convictions and morality destroy the harmony of families and lands. Christians are seen as traitors who tear apart the basic religious beliefs that hold the nation together. In such countries there is no room whatsoever for Deistic or rationalistic views about religious issues.

Even here in the United States where we practice religious liberty tensions continue to arise over race, abortion, the death penalty, religious holidays and a wide variety of related issues. And yet what can we who follow Jesus do but speak out about our faith in him and in the teachings of the revealed Scriptures? Listen again to the words of Jesus:

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. - Luke 9:26 ESV