Recently in Albuquerque, a city not far from where we live, a man reportedly pulled a gun on a Catholic priest after getting mad over the priest’s public support for religious freedom and his wife arguing with the priest. According to local news reports the disagreement centered on the priest’s support for the construction of a mosque and his belief that people in the United States should be free to worship according to their own conscience, as protected by the Constitution.
This isn’t a recovery-related post, but I think it’s an important one.
What bothers me most isn’t just one insane incident, but what it says about how easily some people seem willing to dismiss one of the most fundamental freedoms our country was built on. The First Amendment, adopted in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, protects the freedom of religion. Not one religion. Not one denomination. Religion. And no, the word “religion” is not synonymous for only Christianity. That protection applies equally to Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, atheists, and every other belief or lack of belief.
This is a subject that hits close to home for me. Because I’m a Buddhist I’ve experienced disapproval and discrimination just because of what I believe. Some of it has come from complete strangers and, sadly, some from people I care about. Thankfully nobody has ever pulled a gun on me because of my faith, but I’ve certainly been made to feel that my beliefs were somehow unacceptable or that I should keep them hidden. Nobody should have to feel that way. Ever.
One hopeful thing did come from the events in Albuquerque though. Leaders and members of a lot of different faiths stood together in a public show of solidarity against religious violence. I found that deeply moving and hopeful. It reminded me that there are far more people who want peace than there are people willing to use fear or intimidation.
Pretty often these days you can hear somebody say that the United States is a “Christian nation.” It’s true that Christianity is the religion most commonly practiced in this country. But constitutionally, the United States was not established as a nation with one official religion. Our founding documents deliberately protect the freedom of every person to follow their own conscience.
That protection is there and it’s important. It matters for Christians. It matters for Muslims. It matters for Jews. It matters for Buddhists. It matters for every person whose beliefs may differ from those of others. If we only defend religious liberty for people who believe like we do then we aren’t really defending religious liberty at all.
Violence, threats, and intimidation have no place in disagreements over faith. If our beliefs lead us to hate, harass, or threaten others just because they worship differently or believe differently, then maybe the first place we should examine is not somebody else’s religion, but our own hearts.
I stand against religious violence in every form and I stand with those of every faith, and of no faith, who are committed to protecting one another’s right to live and worship in peace.
Amituofo
~Buck
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