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Six years in the past, Justice Samuel Alito issued an “ominous” warning that the then standing of U.S. Supreme Court docket choices on spiritual liberty in America had been a “reason behind nice concern” for many who worth our first freedom.
Thankfully, within the courts, since that day, spiritual freedom in our nation has elevated.
Simply this yr, the Supreme Court docket issued two opinions that set historic precedents in two main circumstances restoring religion in our nation.
First, First Liberty Institute consumer and highschool soccer Coach Joe Kennedy’s victory not solely restored his proper to quietly pray on the 50-yard-line after video games, but it surely additionally strengthened constitutional protections for spiritual liberty throughout the nation, overturning an anti-religious freedom precedent and giving Individuals extra spiritual freedom than they’ve had in a half century.
Second, the Court docket overturned a Maine regulation that unjustly banned households from collaborating in a student-aid program in the event that they selected to ship their kids to non secular faculties. This resolution has nationwide affect for parental alternative and spiritual freedom for all folks of religion who search to take part in authorities applications.
SHACKELFORD: TEACHERS AND COACHES DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTED
However as we method 2023, it’s turning into more and more clear that those that oppose freedom—each folks within the populace and in our personal authorities—haven’t gotten the Court docket’s clear message that spiritual liberty have to be revered. In truth, they proceed to exhibit blatant and at occasions harmful hostility towards spiritual Individuals. Sacrificing freedom of conscience is horrible thought for everybody, even those that should not spiritual.
Earlier this month, a Richmond, Virginia restaurant barred members of a pro-family group from receiving service merely due to their spiritual beliefs relating to unborn life and marriage, although this violates federal and state regulation!
In a number of communities, authorities officers mistakenly banned nativity scenes from their Christmas shows after an anti-religion group despatched letters making the ridiculous declare that such shows are unconstitutional.
Then, Congress handed, and President Biden signed, a regulation that may be weaponized to punish the free train of faith. The so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” lets radical activists harass faith-based establishments in courtroom due to their spiritual beliefs about marriage. No American needs to be punished for holding a faith-based view on marriage, even when that view conflicts with the federal government’s present most well-liked definition. And no American ought to change their spiritual convictions about marriage simply because just a few politicians modified theirs.
On the similar time, whereas Congress repealed the navy’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for these getting into the navy, hundreds of active-duty personnel, and a few who’ve been pressured out of service, who’ve a spiritual objection to the vaccine proceed to face hostility from navy leaders. First Liberty gained the primary courtroom case in opposition to the vaccine mandate early in 2022, blocking the U.S. Navy from punishing 35 Navy SEALs as a result of they sought a spiritual lodging from the vaccine. But, these courageous warriors are nonetheless being prevented from defending our nation.
It’s time for President Biden and his navy leaders apologize to our troops for the spiritual hostility they’ve endured. If our nation and our navy are to stay the best on earth, service members of religion have to be handled with dignity, tolerance, and respect, not pressured to decide on between their religion and serving their nation.
Even these serving our veterans are going through spiritual hostility from this administration. Lately, a nurse practitioner, Stephanie Carter, sued the Division of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) when her request for a spiritual lodging from collaborating in abortions on the VA facility the place she works was primarily rejected – twice! Whereas it’s abhorrent that the Biden administration is placing the well being and well-being of our veterans in danger to pursue its excessive pro-abortion agenda, it’s equally despicable that they need to power spiritual well being care employees into violating their consciences.
We’ll do all we will to guarantee that religious liberty will prevail in these circumstances in 2023.
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The Supreme Court itself has a number of alternatives earlier than it to once more put Justice Alito’s considerations prior to now if it decides to take two circumstances the place authorities officers have punished spiritual Individuals for his or her beliefs.
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In Klein v. Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, the Justices can evaluate a call by the Oregon Court docket of Appeals permitting the BOLI to penalize Aaron and Melissa Klein as a result of they may not specific a message celebrating a same-sex wedding ceremony in violation of their spiritual beliefs. BOLI’s preliminary effective of $135,000 pressured the Kleins out of enterprise, and harassment from the left drove them out of Oregon.
In one other vital case, Groff v. DeJoy, the Court docket can overturn a decades-old resolution, TWA v. Hardison, that that favors companies and the federal government over the spiritual rights of staff. On this case, former United States Postal Service worker Gerald Groff is difficult a decrease courtroom resolution that allowed the USPS to power him to work on the Sabbath or lose his job.
In the present day, Individuals take pleasure in extra spiritual liberty than any time prior to now 50 years. However now we should train that freedom or danger fulfilling Justice Alito’s warning. As we start 2023, my prayer is that spiritual Individuals will resolve to face up in opposition to the hostility and dwell out their religion in public, at work, and of their faculties.
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