Originally Posted - December 23, 2006

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In regard to Charles Haynes column published Friday, Dec. 22, "The Real 'War on Christians', I wish that you could sit in on my phone calls every day at the Christian Law Association if you think there is no war on Christmas or Christians in America today. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/122106WarOnChristians.html

While Christians are not regularly being put in jail in this country (yet--although do hear about some isolated situations), we need to be very careful that we do not reach that point. The insensitive treatment of Christian kids in public schools that I hear about every day, the attempt to force Christians to actively participate in things that they think are sinful (such as requiring Christian photographers to photograph gay weddings or forcing Christian landlords to rent to unmarried or gay couples), the harassment and sometimes termination of anyone who expresses a Christian opinion in the workplace, courts allowing employers to give equal rights to anyone except Christians who want to meet together in workplace affinity groups, Senior citizens in nursing homes who are told they may not pray at lunch or have a nativity on display for Christmas, Christians who are not permitted to pray in Jesus' name in public (such as legislative sessions, where they are sometimes banned and censored merely because their faith requires them to pray in Jesus' name wherever they are), or prison inmates who are permitted to practice any religion except Christianity, which has proven to be the best mode of real rehabilitation. The list goes on.

From my perspective here in my little office, the problem is that Christians are very happy to allow people of other faiths or of no faith to express themselves however they wish in America. They would just like a little of the same treatment in return. And the real problem is that America is the land of the free because America really was established as a Christian nation----just like Turkey is an Islamic nation, even though there is religious freedom for other faiths. When America ceases to be a Christian nation (that is, a nation based upon Judeo Christian beliefs that include a recognition of the sinfulness of man, the sanctity of every life, charity, forgiveness for all, the freedom of every man to choose to believe or not to believe as he sees fit), at that point, American freedom will vanish along with Christianity.

Look at Europe, the Islamic Middle East and Africa . When Muslims gain control for Islam in various nations, religious freedom vanishes. In some countries, anyone who converts from Islam is killed. Look at pagan countries like Russia, North Korea, etc. where Christians are thrown into prisons merely for practicing their faith in public. Don't think that it can't happen here. Our freedom in America is a fragile thing. There will not be freedom for everyone in America (Christian and non Christian alike) if we abandon the Christian basis for the American experiment in democracy. You are correct that persecution in America has not reached the low point that it has in other countries, but you fail to see that what is happening now in America is the beginning of a very bad trend that could take America to that place very quickly if it is not stopped at its root.

Barbara J. Weller is an attorney associated with the Christian Law Association in Seminole, Fla. http://www.christianlaw.org/

I am astonished by Barbara Weller's statement: "Christians are not regularly put in jail in this country (yet - although do hear about some situations)." Not "regularly" - how about "not ever." I can't think of one example of a Christian being jailed in the U.S. for being Christian.

As for public schools, I agree that a small number of misguided school officials violate the religious-liberty rights of students. But in the vast majority of public schools, Christian students are treated fairly. I know, because I spend a good deal of time working with public schools. In fact, there is more student religious expression in public schools today than at any time since the early 20th century. Students are forming thousands of Christian clubs, praying around the flagpole (and elsewhere), sharing their faith with others, giving out religious literature and so forth.

Barbara Weller's other examples of discrimination are wildly exaggerated. Of course, in isolated incidents are treated poorly (although attacks on Muslims are far more serious and anti-Semitism remains a widespread problem). But what court decision "allows employers to give equal rights to anyone except Christians"? Name one. And exactly who has been fired for "expressing a Christian opinion" in the workplace? Civil rights laws protect against such discrimination in the private workplace. Of course, an employer may take disciplinary action if an employee harasses another employee. But I have never seen a case where a Christian was fired for "expression an opinion." In government settings, the rules may be different. Legislative prayer, for example, is constitutional, but the courts are currently divided on just how "non-sectarian" such prayers must be to avoid violating the Establishment clause of the First Amendment.

The United States was not "established as a Christian nation." The Constitution nowhere mentions God or Christ. It does, however, guarantee that "no religious test" shall be required for public office. And it does prohibit the government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion" (a provision that now applies to the states by way of the 14th Amendment). Turkey, by the way, is not an "Islamic nation." It is a secular state that strictly controls Islam. And other faiths are greatly oppressed in Turkey. Just ask the few Christians who survive there. There is no religious freedom in Turkey. And there would be no religious freedom if the U.S. were to deny the Constitution and become an established "Christian nation."

How ironic: What Barbara Weller condemns abroad (state control of religion, including state establishments of religion), she demands at home. Some of the convictions on her list of beliefs she says we must hold as a nation (e.g., the "sinfulness of man") are explicitly religious beliefs. If the government imposed Christianity, as Weller demands, the U.S. would become exactly what Weller condemns in places like Iran.

The real "Christian basis" for the "American experiment in democracy" is the conviction (first articulated in this country by a Christian minister, Roger Williams, in the 17th century) that God has created every person with freedom of conscience. The First Amendment was added to the Constitution to separate church from state and to guarantee every person full freedom of conscience. For Roger Williams, James Madison and others, a real "Christian nation" can in no way be an established "Christian nation." The very idea of such a "Christian nation" is, Williams and Madison argued, antithetical to authentic Christian faith. If we abandon our commitment to religious freedom -- and instead impose (Barbara Weller's version) of "Judeo Christian beliefs" on everyone -- we will see the persecution and discrimination so common around the world. 12-23-06

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