Posted on 02/11/2022 8:40:35 PM PST by SeekAndFind
According to a recent survey conducted by the Freedom Forum, fewer people in our country consider religious freedom as the first and most foundational freedom.
It’s indeed alarming to see there’s waning knowledge about religious liberty being the cornerstone of a free society, the wellspring from which all other liberties flow.
We’re at a point in our nation’s history when religious freedoms — indeed all of our constitutional rights and freedoms — are under attack like never before. A scan of headlines will quickly show that people of faith nationwide are being censored, alienated, and even fired because they’re living out or expressing their beliefs.
Despite some concerning results, the survey also shows that nearly all Americans highly value the First Amendment. That’s certainly good news!
Below are three big points from the survey that shed light on the state of the First Amendment and religious liberty in America today.
1. Religious freedom no longer viewed as the first and most important?
Perhaps the biggest wake-up call from the Freedom Forum’s survey is that only 14% of Americans consider religious freedom to be the most valuable freedom. In other words, that suggests 86% of people are saying that religious liberty takes a back seat to other First Amendment liberties.
This is coupled with 37% of respondents who said business owners should be required to fulfill customer requests that violate their religious beliefs.
To be clear, all First Amendment freedoms and rights are essential. To preserve our great republic and constitutional system that’s stood for more than two centuries, it’s necessary to have free speech, a free press, the freedom to assemble peaceably, and the right to petition the government.
But religious liberty holds a unique and special place in the American experience. Let’s not forget, the roots of our country trace back to pioneers who fled Europe in search of a specific freedom: To live out their faith free from the oppression of a monarch or a state-imposed religion.
America’s Founders enshrined it as the first freedom in the First Amendment. Why? Because without the freedom to live out our faith, all other liberties — civil, economic and social — come crumbling down. Religious liberty is the building block of a free society.
2. Cancel culture keeps gaining ground
Cancel culture has become a national phenomenon, and it has led to a soft totalitarianism that demands conformity to what the government or a select few political elites deem as “acceptable.” Virtually any viewpoint that doesn’t embrace the popular ideology is quickly labeled “hate speech,” leading to people being censored, ostracized, and losing their careers.
And more Americans are seeing cancel culture as normal.
According to the survey, 36% say preventing “hate speech” is more important than preserving free speech. Additionally, 37% say there’s nothing wrong with celebrities or others with strong opinions getting boycotted or canceled for comments online or in public.
This suggests one in three Americans place higher value on censorship than free speech. This is a disturbing trend. Cancel culture runs afoul of the American principle of free expression and it’s especially intolerant of Americans with religious beliefs who don’t conform to the cultural orthodoxy. Make no mistake, cancel culture is a toxic ideology that threatens the freedom of everyone in our country.
3. Nearly all Americans say the First Amendment is vital
Despite some alarming responses, there is encouraging news. Americans overwhelmingly value the First Amendment as vital (94%), and 68% say the First Amendment should never be changed, with 54% expressing this position strongly. Almost two-thirds (63%) would ratify it today.
What’s more, even though slightly more than one-third are keen on canceling “hate speech,” nearly the same proportion (35%) said they’d prioritize free speech.
Looking a bit deeper into religious liberty, about three-quarters (76%) of respondents know that the First Amendment protects the rights of religious organizations to engage in political activity.
In our current political climate and divisive times, support of the First Amendment shows there’s still hope that we can come together as Americans. While we may disagree about politics or policies, Americans still overwhelmingly agree on freedom.
Whether it’s living out our faith, expressing our opinion, gathering and assembling, or petitioning the government, it’s clear we need all of these freedoms to truly live in liberty.
Originally published at First Liberty.
Jorge Gomez is the Content Strategist and Senior Writer for First Liberty Institute. He has previously worked as a communications and messaging strategist for faith-based nonprofits and conservative policy organizations. He holds a degree in political science from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in public policy from Liberty University.
Lauren Moses is a contract writer for First Liberty Institute. She currently holds a position at the University of Mississippi Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom. Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Ole Miss and is currently working on a master’s in philosophy from UM.
So many countries before us turned their backs on God. He withdrew His hand of protection from them in return. And now it’s happening here. What will it take for America to repent of her inequities and turn back to God before it’s too late? How many more cataclysms need to happen before we wake up and we recognize we are not invincible or immune from the judgement of God?
I swear people read into things anything they want out of general mistrust. I dont think people are saying that religious liberty isnt important. I believe people are responding to what they feel are they must direct threats happening now. They must likely look at daily frontal attacks on free speech, gun rights, property ownership, and government bureaucracy invade their daily lives. As of yet, there aren’t as many frontal assaults on churches (most likely because that would be viewed as a deadly threat to most Americans & in direct violation of the constitution, thereby creating war). Its asking what people think its the biggest threat currently not what issue you personally value most! 🙄
How about liberty itself? Come on man! You can see where the question is coming from.
The hearts of men are growing cold.
Sorry, but this is a BS Survey.
Don’t believe it for a minute.
RE: Don’t believe it for a minute.
Can you explain why not?
Me either. People believe in propaganda for different reasons. Liberals search for anything that validates their corrupt worldview. Conservatives have a tendency to distrust everything and anything! Im sorry to stay too many of us are Eeyores 😖
There is a clear reason why many Americans have decided religious liberty can be a problem: Islam.
The Founders did not envision that what they had created would be a tool to insert Sharia law into American society.
Freedom of speech/expression & the press protects religious expression/speech.
Freedom of religion doesn’t protect freedom of political speech, nor of the press, etc.
As written, the Constitution was only construed to prohibit the state from establishing an official denomination, though individual states, via the 10th Amendment, could, and at least four did for a while, one up into the 1870s.
The separation BS started much later.
My guess is most people who say religious freedom is not the most important had an unchurched childhood.
Their whole family may have been the type who only acknowledge being Christian during the Christmas Season, maybe also during Easter, if they grew up expecting new clothes during that time of year.
The public schools have been an efficient job in scrubbing most signs of Christianity out of the school curriculum. Students saying a prayer on the football field with their Coach has become as ‘problematic’ as an adult smoking a cigarette on a plane, once the seat belts are off.
Just considering the Catholic situation with a heretic leading the Church...there are millions of Catholics, who are praying for a change.
Those who are true Evangelicals are NOT whimps. They, too, have gone through rough patches. Of course, these are all my OPINIONS, so don’t expect “real evidence” as is the cry of the media. So, my personal knowledge finds many who have “switched” from one to another belief in the Christian God, BUT THEY WILL NEVER STOP BELIEVING. They just look at it from a different perspective.
There are just as many propagandists in the Religion arena as there are in the political arena, IMHO.
If you feel differently, that is your opinion, unless you can provide some “real evidence” which may or may not be tainted at the source.
LOL. You are right.
“Just considering the Catholic situation with a heretic leading the Church”
I don’t understand why any denomination would choose to have a mere mortal leading the church. Why not skip the middle man and have God lead the church?
“Those who are true Evangelicals are NOT whimps. They, too, have gone through rough patches.”
Correct. My ancestor (evangelical) was the last martyr to be burned at the stake in England. To be honest, he did wimp out the first time they tied him up. Then he recanted his recant and King James carried out the sentence.
You have a colorful and proud personal history, Madam.
And your name reflects it well.
I’m probably not saying this correctly, but when you don’t have the self evident freedoms enumerated in the Declaration and the Bill of Rights, you won’t possibly have any hope of true religious freedom.
Sadly, far too many church leaders are ignorant of that. When constitutional freedoms are mandated away by atheists and church leaders kneel at the feet of said atheist government leaders, true religious freedom is greatly infringed.
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