The Christian Right does not want you to know about this day…

[William769]

A statue of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, in Colonial Williamsburg, Va.


In the heat of our political moment, we sometimes don’t see how our future connects deeply to our past. But the Christian Right does — and they do not like what they see.

The Christian Right has made religious freedom the ideological phalanx of its current campaigns in the culture wars. Religious freedom is now invoked as a way of seeking to derail access to reproductive health services as well as equality for LGBTQ people, most prominently regarding marriage equality.

But history provides little comfort for the theocratic visions of the Christian Right. And that is where our story begins.

For all of the shouting about religious liberty — from the landmark Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case, to the passage of the anti-gay Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Mississippi, and more — there is barely any mention, let alone any observance, of the official national Religious Freedom Day, enacted by Congress in 1992 and recognized every January 16 by an annual presidential proclamation.

The day commemorates the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786.

Why is this seemingly obscure piece of Revolutionary-era legislation so vital? And why doesn’t the Christian Right want you to know anything about it?

Read More

[Downwinder]

1. Freedom FROM religion.

[William769]

2. Exactly.

[Major Nikon]

4. There is no freedom OF religion unless there is freedom FROM religion

[Delphinus]

5. Amen!

[countmyvote4real]

9. Thank you.

What Major Nikon said.

[hifiguy]

28. Wish I could rec this 1000 times.

Bravo!

[Initech]

31. Exactly.

I would think that "religious freedom" laws (at least the ones that Christian conservatives want to propose) would actually hurt freedom of religion more than they would help it.

[WillyT]

3. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[stage left]

6. K&R

In seven states a person can not hold office if they don't profess to believe in god. One of those is, of course, South Carolina. But you can still serve on a jury, which, I believe atheists are not allowed to do in Maryland. You are also quit free in SC to not believe in global climate change, racial equality, gay marriage and equal rights for women. http://www.occasionalplanet.org/2012/06/28/no-god-no-office-7-states-ban-atheists-from-holding-office/

[lordsummerisle]

16. Yikes

I knew that most politicians professed belief in god but I had no idea it was required in some states...

[Major Nikon]

19. None of those provisions are enforceable

Prior to the 14th amendment, states were free to include religious tests even though they were forbidden by the US Constitution. Some state constitutions still include religious tests simply because they never have been amended to remove them. Occasionally you still get dipshits in modern times that try to enforce those provisions, but they inevitably fail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverman_v._Campbell

[stage left]

32. ok.

Maybe atheists could run for election in SC but I guarantee an avowed atheist could not be elected here.

[Major Nikon]

33. Yes, unlikely

Which simply proves how intolerant most believers in the US really are.

[og1]

7. The theocratic antagonists

Jefferson's main antagonist's were the Calvinists and they are still the main antagonists of democracy and our freedom from religion!

[99Forever]

8. Indeed friends, indeed.

Huge K&R

[logosoco]

10. This is surely something we need to commemorate!

Celebrations are always good at this time of the year, when the days are short!

Maybe we can go to college campuses and yell at the kids "Hey, you're doing alright!", since they are often being told they are sinners.
Let's find a way to incorporate the First Amendment into a song!!

What would be some other good traditions for this day?

[vlyons]

11. Jefferson is not popular with the Christian Fundies

because he was not a Christian. He was a Deist, as were so many educated men of his day.

[Laxman]

12. Just A Couple Of Quotes From Jefferson To Ponder....

that seem to be lost on the religious right while they're busy worshiping the Founding Fathers. The first from Query XVII of Notes on the State of Virginia:

"The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. ... Reason and free enquiry are the only effectual agents against error.

and the second from a letter to John Adams:

1823 April 11. (Jefferson to John Adams). "The truth is that the greatest enemies to the doctrines of Jesus are those calling themselves the expositors of them, who have perverted them for the structure of a system of fancy absolutely incomprehensible, and without any foundation in his genuine words. And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away all this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this the most venerated reformer of human errors."

A remarkable man. Sometimes so wrong but mostly so right.

[PeoViejo]

13. American Taliban n/t

[sheshe2]

14. Well I sure like this excerpt William!

Religious Freedom Day is nothing but bad news for the likes of Religious Right leaders like Tony Perkins, who argue that Christians who favor marriage equality are not really Christians. They can believe that if they want, but it can make no difference in the eyes of the law. That is probably why on Religious Freedom Day 2014, Perkins made no mention of what Religious Freedom Day is really about — instead using the occasion to denounce president Obama’s approach to religious liberty abroad.

This barely commemorated day provides an opportunity for LGBTQ people, and progressives generally, to reclaim a philosophical, legal and constitutional legacy that the Christian Right is busy trying to redefine for their own purposes.

[William769]

15. Me too!

I have not been active the past couple of day's, I am repainting my bedroom, getting ready to lay new carpet (remember the flood I had?).

Got everything ready to go, so in the morning me and my brother will get the carpet laid. I have a big bedroom with lot's of furniture. When I thought about doing this, it sounded like a good idea. It's been a back breaking nightmare!

[sheshe2]

17. That is a lot of backbreaking work!

Sounds like you have a plan though, can't even imagine how the two of you are going to lug that carpet in. That stuff is heavy! At least your brother will be there to help you put the furniture back in place.

Sounds like a busy day ahead, William. Here's a suggestion take a hot bath and let calgon take you away~

[Cha]

18. This really took with moi.. "As a practical matter, this meant that what we believe or don’t believe

is not the concern of government and that we are all equal as citizens."

Great Day to Commemorate, William.. Mahalo!

[Cha]

20. I love this Proclaimation.. from Yesterday.. thanks again William~

[rpannier]

21. Great read.

I've had this argument with my fundie brother. He can't be reasoned with I have had sadly discovered

[blkmusclmachine]

22. What the Christian Right wants in their phony "Religious Freedom" is for THEIR pastor to have Veto

rights over every detail of YOUR personal life, irregardless of who you are or where you live or what you believe...

[blm]

23. Good read - thanks for highlighting it.

.

[raouldukelives]

24. K&R nt

[Xyzse]

25. Thanks!

[Android3.14]

26. I like it.

[heaven05]

27. sigh, it figures

this country's whole history, as presented by the RW and Christian zealots has always been a lie. Nothing new. But still very sad for all people adversely affected by that contrived 'history'. Lot of interesting articles at link. One stood out prominently with me.

[murielm99]

29. If you haven't read

"The Godless Constitution: A Moral Defense of the Secular State," please do! It is not a large book, and you will get through it quickly.

I refer to it often. It sits with the books in my history section, right next to the Federalist Papers.

[heaven05]

30. thank you, I shall