Posted on 01/16/2018 7:18:27 PM PST by ransomnote
Faith is embedded in the history, spirit, and soul of our Nation. On Religious Freedom Day, we celebrate the many faiths that make up our country, and we commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the passing of a State law that has shaped and secured our cherished legacy of religious liberty.
Our forefathers, seeking refuge from religious persecution, believed in the eternal truth that freedom is not a gift from the government, but a sacred right from Almighty God. On the coattails of the American Revolution, on January 16, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. This seminal bill, penned by Thomas Jefferson, states that, “all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.” Five years later, these principles served as the inspiration for the First Amendment, which affirms our right to choose and exercise faith without government coercion or reprisal.
Today, Americans from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds remain steadfast in a commitment to the inherent values of faith, honesty, integrity, and patriotism. Our Constitution and laws guarantee Americans the right not just to believe as they see fit, but to freely exercise their religion. Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of religious freedom, whether by threatening tax consequences for particular forms of religious speech, or forcing people to comply with laws that violate their core religious beliefs without sufficient justification. These incursions, little by little, can destroy the fundamental freedom underlying our democracy.
(Excerpt) Read more at whitehouse.gov ...
Say...does this apply to bakers who don't cater gay weddings? " No American — whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business owner — should be forced to choose between the tenets of faith or adherence to the law."
Cringe!
Dearest Admin,
I thought I was the only dweeb who read up on executive orders and posted without checking. This was posted at 1 today? Is this a delete situation? I thought there was a rumor early last year that reposts are OK if enough time has passed to catch people who didn’t see the first. I do apologize and will check before posting next time.
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