RELIGIOUS FREEDOM | OCTOBER 6, 2017

Why Religious Freedom is Under Attack

There seems to be a subtle movement going on that is becoming less and less subtle: the devaluing of religion and our religious freedom.

Most world religions share a common purpose, whether it’s acknowledging spirituality, encouraging humanitarianism or preaching honesty and integrity.

Yet, despite how constructive these may be, a recent report found that attacks on religious liberty have been on the rise.

Why?

I have a few observations:

I once heard a Baptist preacher jokingly share what seems to be the prevailing “11th commandment:” Thou shalt do whatever one wants as long as one does not get caught.

Sad man in darkness with his hand to his head

One’s level of happiness is intimately connected with one’s ethics, so if one thinks he can run roughshod over others he will soon find his days are growing darker and darker. Swiping some extra money, flirting with someone else, littering wherever you want—in the moment, it seems like no big deal, but those transgressions add up and pull you further and further away from happiness and relief. This one also bleeds into another cause: the blame game.

This is most evident in the media. When have you ever seen the news resolve a situation or act impartial? The money is in the conflict and if you can find someone to blame and stoke the fire and perpetuate a given stereotype, then you have the necessary story line to carry you through prime time. As those narratives and story-lines are being drawn out, the calmness and answers found in religion are buried deeper and deeper away from the individual under that flurry of fear and negativity. In fact, those religions are sometimes the very “subjects” thrown under the bus.

Religion is about invisible truths. The person quenched by religious scripture knows this. The family that frequents a church potluck knows this.

Man shaking pills out into his hand from a bottle

Then there is the prevalence of false “solutions”—things that claim or attempt to fill the void created by lack of true answers: drugs. Psychiatric drugs especially are like the anti-religion. “Organic happiness is not possible; have this pill.” In religion, you can reach higher levels of spiritual awareness, but those drugs can drive you so far down that you’re more machine than man. Your purview will be narrower and you will be less appreciative of the beauty of life and life at all.

A man in a religious outfit lights a candle

Religion is about invisible truths. The person quenched by religious scripture knows this. The family that frequents a church potluck knows this.

And they are stable in what they believe, and know that their integrity is more valuable than any material perk.

If only those who attack religious freedom realized that. Because they attack for the sake of profit, the more morally bankrupt they become.

And religion is here to stay. Its sense of understanding, certainty and relief will never go away.

KEYWORDS

AUTHOR

Evan Wecksell

Evan Wecksell is a comedian who has performed in 46 states and has appeared on VH1, E!, Conan and The Goldbergs. He is also one of the best tutors in the world (says Evan).

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