Religion Is A Basic Human Right, Not A Gift Of The State

I would like to draw your attention to an article by Alicia Colon in The New York Sun.

The piece is entitled, "the Assault On Religion In America" and mentions The Becket Fund, which describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan, interfaith, legal and educational institute dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. We operate in three arenas: in the courts of law (litigation), in the court of public opinion (media), and in the academy (scholarship).

The Becket Fund is named after Thomas á Becket (1118-70 AD), who stood resolutely at the intersection of Church and State. As a friend of King Henry II, Becket served as Chancellor of England and oversaw the laws of the kingdom. But as Archbishop of Canterbury, he steadfastly refused to allow the King to interfere in the Church, and was martyred by the King's knights for defending the principle of religious liberty.

Included in the mission statement of The Becket Fund is the following:

Freedom of religion is a basic human right that no government may lawfully deny; it is not a gift of the state, but instead is rooted in the inherent dignity of the human person. Religious expression (of all traditions) is a natural part of life in civilized society, and religious arguments (on all sides of a question) are a normal and healthy element of public debate. Religious people and institutions are entitled to participate in government affairs on an equal basis with everyone else, and should not be excluded for professing their faith.

I think this is closer to the reality of what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they laid the foundation of this great nation. The termites of the ACLU have been working feverishly to destroy that framework. It is time to call the exterminators and proceed with pest control.

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