Freedom of Religion?

There is a difference between freedom of religion and freedom of worship. Freedom of worship implies the right to gather, pray and sing. In essence, it is the liberty to conduct religious activities within areas designated for such practices.

Worship at its core is essentially a private and personal process, a communion between God and an individual. No government could restrict such worship, any more than it could monitor and censor every citizen's thoughts and prayers. Even forbidding individuals to worship together in public cannot actually prevent individuals from worshiping God in private.

However, freedom of religion is quite different. The free exercise of religion under the American Constitution includes the freedom to openly express, follow and live out one’s faith - not just in private, but also in the public square - without government coercion, censorship or any other form of restriction.

The First Amendment of our Constitution clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The constitutionally guaranteed free exercise of religion in America extends well beyond the freedom to worship. It includes the freedom to live out our conscientiously held beliefs.

The concept of religious liberty held by the Constitution's framers included not merely the freedom to worship, but also the free exercise of conscience - carrying out one's moral beliefs with conviction and action. 

James Madison expressed this understanding in his original amendment to the Constitution: “The civil rights of none, shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed.” Hence, because of the protections guaranteed by our Constitution, each of us has the right to practice our faith openly and as we choose. 

In addition, Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) states that “everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” 

Both the United States and the United Nations understand freedom of religion as the right to live according to one’s own faith, that is, to “manifest” one’s religion or belief in both “in public or private,” without interference from the state. 

Despite this understanding, a German trial judge recently outlawed the circumcision of children on the basis that the “fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighed the fundamental rights of the parents”, to carry out their religious beliefs. The decision of the judge is part of a global ideological redefinition of religious rites. Some ideologues are now associating circumcision with mutilation or even child abuse.

For millennia, faith adherents have believed that circumcision is done for boys (rather than to them). By prohibiting the rite of circumcision is to deprive Jewish and Muslim boys a religious benefit to which they are entitled while dispossessing them of a core aspect of their personal identity. 

Opponents of freedom of religion may bring up the Aztecs, arguing that a robust view of religious liberty would require allowing children to be sacrificed to pagan gods. But that is not true in that fundamental liberties are not absolute. The law properly prohibits religious practice when there is a compelling government interest. For example, the state can force a child to be given life-saving blood transfusions even though doing so violates the restrictive religious beliefs of the parents of the child. 

This is much more than an intellectual discussion.
Attempts are already in place to restrict or outright violate religious liberty. Many are aware that the federal government has begun to gut the only federal conscience regulation protecting the conscience rights of American health care professionals.

In addition, through code enforcement and city planning, many cities are limiting the visibility of houses of worship. Property management firms are also limiting proselytizing in areas under their control. More and more, specific attempts are being made to restrict the freedom of religion as it relates to the public display of one’s faith.

Religious freedom is one of those unique rights that, to be fully enjoyed, other rights like association and speech must also be protected. Although critical, religious freedom provides more than religious liberties. Interestingly, whereas the freedom of religion guarantees the freedom of worship, it is not true to assume that the freedom of worship would guarantee the freedom of religion.

Fire-Chief Fired

On Tuesday, January 06, Atlanta’s Fire Chief, Kelvin Cochran was fired after more than 34 years of distinguished service as a fireman. According to Atlanta Mayor, Kasim Reed, Cochran was fired because of sentiments he expressed in a book.

The Mayor told reporters Cochran was ousted because of poor judgment. The mayor accused the chief of not getting permission to write the book, a charge Cochran denies.

The Mayor also alleged Cochran distributed the book to members of the fire department. Cochran readily admits that he gave copies of the book to close associates within the department. It should be noted that the individual who initially complained about the book did not receive a copy from the fire chief.

Sources in Atlanta City Hall told a local television station that Cochran was going to be fired, not for writing the book, but because he did not go through proper channels to write it in the first place.

According to the Mayor, “Not one time during the course of preparing this book did the chief ever think it was appropriate to have a conversation with me.” However, the former fire chief told reporters he received permission from the city's Ethics Department to write the book and in fact he sent a copy to the Mayor's Office, giving it to the Mayor's assistant.

Mayor Reed, surrounded by members of his administration, including city officials, some who are part of the LGBT community, said he fired Cochran for bad judgment, not for writing the book which calls homosexuality a perversion. Interestingly, a city investigation determined the fire chief had not discriminated against LGBT employees by writing his book.

The book, Who Told You That You Were Naked (2013), was really written for Chief Cochran’s Sunday School class. Cochran is a deacon, a Sunday School teacher and Bible study leader at Atlanta’s Elizabeth Baptist Church. In the book, aimed at helping Christian men overcome past sins, Cochran expressed his belief that sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is sinful.

Cochran used about half a page of his 160-page book to refer to homosexuality as “vile, vulgar and inappropriate” behavior. He shared a few copies of his book with firemen colleagues who shared his worldview. About three members of staff, who did not share his worldview, also received copies. One fireman, who was not given a copy of the book, was reading it and noticed Chief Cochran’s description of persons who chose the gay lifestyle.

The allegedly offensive lines were shared with some in city administration who were sympathetic to the gay lifestyle. Following this, Chief Cochran was suspended without pay for one month. He was also instructed to attend a course in sensitivity training. At the end of his no-pay suspension, he was fired.

Interestingly, the Mayor was praised for dismissing Chief Cochran by openly homosexual councilman Alex Wan. Wan said, “...when you’re a city employee, and your thoughts, beliefs and opinions are different from the city’s, you have to check them at the door.”

Wan’s view is the epitome of bigotry. And so is The New York Times, which said it doesn't matter if Chief Cochran was innocent. That's not the point, they argued Tuesday in a scathing editorial titled, God, Gays and the Atlanta Fire Department – “It should not matter that the investigation found no evidence that Mr. Cochran had mistreated gays or lesbians."

The editorial went on to say, "His position as a high-level public servant makes his remarks especially problematic, and requires that he be held to a different standard. If he wants to work as a public official, however, he may not foist his religious views on other city employees who have the right to a boss who does not speak of them as second-class citizens."

Where in this situation did Chief Cochran even attempt “to foist his religious views on other employees”? What crime did Chief Cochran commit to even deserve a one-month-no-pay suspension? Why should this decorated firefighter be subjected to this array of bigotry and ‘religiophobic’ rhetoric?

In one interview, Chief Cochran said, “...the LGBT members of our community have a right to be able to express their views and convictions about sexuality and deserve to be respected for their position without hate or discrimination. But Christians also have a right to express our belief regarding our faith and be respected for our position without hate and without discrimination. In the United States, no one should be vilified, hated or discriminated against for expressing their beliefs.”

Did I hear an AMEN for that? Personally, I believe if Chief Cochran were gay and similarly expressed an opinion about persons who did not share his worldview, he would be still employed as Atlanta’s Fire Chief.

Happy New Year?

Honestly, we need happiness this year. The global picture is so gloomy. I foresee increasing conflicts in Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Europe and Asia. I want to be optimistic, but the global tension is too great to be ignored. 

On the domestic front I foresee increasing racial and political tribalism. Already we have battle lines drawn with changes in Congress. I foresee major conflicts between the Executive and Congress, both branches of government. The anti-police rhetoric in New York and other cities is not a healthy sign for a prosperous New Year.

However, amidst the gloom, we must make room for a Happy New Year. In 2015, we expect thousands of students to graduate from a wide variety of institutions. We expect thousands to own homes and thousands more to become legitimate American citizens. We expect thousands to make positive career changes. We also expect thousands to experience life changing spiritual conversions. In essence, 2015 will be a year of hope for many Americans. 

Let us build on this hope – it is much more than wishful thinking. Saya Hillman, a Martin Luther King scholarship recipient was correct when he said, “We could not survive if we could not dream, for it is our ability to dream that sustains us in the most wretched times.”

According to Hal Lindsay, “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air...but only for one second without hope.” The New Year brings new hopes and aspirations. It is a declaration that the old has gone and the new has come.

For me, 2015 will provide new adventures to enjoy, new memories to create and new relationships to establish. I will not wait to see if these will come my way – I intend to pursue opportunities that are different, bringing freshness and renewal. 

A number of studies have found that this approach to life brings significant benefits, including improved physical health and better coping strategies. People who take time to reflect-on and celebrate their successes are generally more optimistic, take better care of themselves and tend to be less stressed. Celebrations increase people’s sense of well-being, regardless of socioeconomic factors, education, age or gender.

Like you, I have debt – far too much for my age. However, I would not allow my debt to hinder my need to celebrate. There are far more reasons to celebrate than to cry. In 2015 there will be birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and a wide variety of achievements.  

For 2015 I intend to use every means possible to live as a victor and not as a victim. My wife and I will use our dining table to encourage, to embolden and to bring cheer to as many as possible. We have a plan to reach out to others who may find it difficult to come to us. We will continue to use the phone, electronic mail and every device possible to announce that 2015 must be lived as a happy New Year. 

This reflection on New Year reminds me of what Jesus said to some Pharisees who challenged Him: “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins” (Luke 5:37-38).

When Jesus spoke, there was no such thing as a bottle, as we know it. Bottles were made of animal skins. When new, these skins had a certain amount of elasticity. As they grew old, they became hard and unyielding. 

The new wine to which Jesus referred, was still fermenting – it gave off gases. These gases caused pressure, and if the skin was new it would yield to the pressure. But if the skin was old and hard and dry, the wine will explode and everything would be lost. 

In essence, Jesus was pleading for a certain amount of elasticity in our thinking. He was giving to the Pharisees a newness that could not be contained in their old ways of thinking. By using the illustration of the bottle, Jesus was acknowledging that there was a period of usefulness. However, that mindset, although formerly useful, needed to change to accommodate a new way of thinking.

In 2015, Jesus would be saying to us, whereas earlier decades may have been great, 2015 requires a new way of thinking – do not be afraid of new adventures. The challenges will be diverse and will require more intentional efforts to be different.
Like religious scholar Huston Smith, Jesus would most likely say that in 2015, “the human spirit is being suffocated by a dominant materialistic worldview.” The feeling that faith is not necessary in a world of science is an ill-advised worldview for anyone anticipating a meaningful Happy New Year.