That said, I have been appalled by how the Catholic and Christian faith is being bandied about during this election season, particularly on the issues of contraception and gay marriage.
What I find most alarming is how people claim that equal access to something is infringing upon the freedom to practice religion. It is certainly true that Catholics don't believe in contraception, and to ask Catholic organizations to provide contraceptive options to their female and male, non-Catholic employees goes against their held beliefs. But no one is forcing Christian organizations to act in the public sector. There are religions that believe this or that to be immoral, and thus remove themselves from those aspects of society. For example, the Amish who reject a lot of the conveniences of modern society for reasons of morality or religious obligation. The Amish are free to live and do as they please, but they are not allowed to force those beliefs on others. If the Amish started providing a charity organization that worked in cooperation with the government that employed non-Amish people, they wouldn't be allowed to demand that each employee behave in a certain way.
The same is true of all freedoms. I am allowed to own a gun (which, here in Britain, people find it quite alarming that I can just walk into a place, and buy a weapon that can produce instant death; especially in light of recent school shootings). I am allowed to carry that gun with me to certain places. I am even allowed to discharge that weapon in specially sanctioned places. I am not, however, allowed to carry or discharge my weapon in such a way that it infringes on the rights of others. The same is true of religion.
There is a big deal made about how kids are not forced to say things like "under God" or have a prayer before major school events. People claim that God is being forced from the schools. One image that was being passed around on the social media sites suggested that the recent school shootings and other violence in school is because God is not allowed in any more (I searched for the image and found it on this kids blog, which I think is great; the mixed messages are just fantastic). This is patently untrue. No one is saying that you can't pray in public, what is true is that you can't force other people to sit through large group prayer as part of a public function. I was raised Catholic and went to public school until I was in high school. I used to pray at school by myself all the time. I used to talk about going to CCD classes with my non-Catholic friends. I used to talk with my Catholic friends about church (though, not a lot, and usually just to acknowledge that we both had gone). If I had been more motivated, I could have organized prayer circles with friends so we could pray together, in private. In sixth grade, we learned about different cultures, and one section was about Christianity. At that point, I was even allowed to debate, as much as a sixth grader could, the beliefs and doctrines of the Church. AS PART OF CLASS!
The same is true with all public spaces. When I was more devout in high school, I used to pray over meals at public restaurants. I used to play in a church band that would play free concerts in public spaces. I used to do fundraisers for the Catholic charities knocking on doors and praying with people who donated food stuffs. No one ever stopped me. And no one was forced to join in.
But the fact of the matter is, not everyone is Catholic. Regardless of whether or not everyone should believe in the Christian God (that is another post for another time), these people are all allowed to have the same freedom to practice or not practice as they see fit. This is why college campuses with have interfaith chapels, and prayer rooms for Muslims. Would people be so vocal about the freedom to practice religion if everyone had to stop five times a day to allow the Muslims to pray? Probably not.
This extends to not only practices but beliefs. Muslims, Jews and Hindus all have permanent religious dietary beliefs. I notice that the country is not quick to ban pork, beef and alcohol. The aforementioned Amish don't allow the use of electricity, but no one is going to suggest that the nation go dark just to accommodate one religious belief (plus, my reader base would be greatly reduced, and then fewer people would have opportunities to read about buying pants in Wales). On the subject of leg ware, there are several sections in the Christian Bible that suggest women shouldn't wear pants or expose their bodies, and some Christian sects follow these guidelines very dutifully:
Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
However, I don't see former Senator Santorum or former Governor Romney jumping in to say that all pants and kilts be banned nation wide, along with jewelry of any kind, including their wive's collection of earrings and necklaces. Why? Because these religious doctrines would infringe upon the freedoms of others (I would love to see how the oil and natural gas companies react if there were an Amish Republican demanding for conservation of electricity and a ban on all cars; it would be fair to say the Amish are the most conservative people in America, so they should make for good Republican candidates...save for that whole isolationism and simple living bit...).1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
The same extends to contraception and marriage. It was decided that contraception was legal years ago, and frankly for good reasons. The biggest being that not everyone finds it morally problematic. Seven states currently have legalized gay marriage, and again, because not everyone (especially gay people) find a problem with same-sex marriage. We, as a country, decided long ago that our religious practices were not to infringe upon others basic freedoms. This is what President Kennedy was speaking about in 1960, a speech that made former Senator Santorum "want to throw up" (ironically, it was because of Kennedy that Santorum is even allowed to be considered for the office of President):
I believe in an America...The second and third bullet points are particularly poignant here, and it shouldn't be one without the other. The full speech is linked above, and every time I read it, I am made happier to be a citizen of a country that gave the world someone like John F. Kennedy.
- that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source;
- where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials; and
- where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.
If those inspiring words, or ones similar from former Presidents like Jefferson, can't convince politicians to back off this issue, then maybe Christian politicians should look to the doctrine they claim to believe in so fervently:
Matthew 6: 1-8
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
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