Religious Freedom Violations in U.S. Have Grown by 76 Percent Since 2014
Every once in a while, some readers tell me to stop talking about former President Barack Obama. They say anything he did or did not do is old news and that I should focus on what’s going on now.
Generally, that’s good advice. There’s only so long you can dwell on the past. But I believe I’m justified to criticize the former president. What he did in the White House continues to hurt Americans.
For example, Obama’s presidency made people more hostile toward religion. That’s not something that goes away immediately. It can last a long time.
Report: Huge Increase in Religious Freedom Violations
Last week, the Family Research Council released a 66-page report. It said that since 2014, there has been a 76 percent increase in religious freedom violations in the U.S.
The council’s president, Tony Perkins, said, “The recent spike in government driven religious hostility is sad, but not surprising, especially considering the Obama Administration’s antagonism toward biblical Christianity.”
The name of the report is “Hostility to Religion: The Growing Threat to Religious Liberty in America.” Religious violations, include:
- The Federal Reserve forced an Oklahoma bank to remove Christmas decorations. (God forbid we celebrate a holiday that’s been around for 2,000 years.)
- The Freedom from Religion Foundation protested having Mother Theresa on a stamp. Why? Because she was a religious figure. (She was also a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.)
- A school penalized an 11-year-old student in Hattiesburg, Mississippi for mentioning Jesus. And get this? It was in a Christmas poetry assignment. (Didn’t Jesus put the “Christ” in “Christmas.”)
- In 2011, the Obama Administration was against placing a copy of a D-Day prayer on a World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. The kicker is: the prayer was by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Three years later, they allowed it.)
- A Christian acappella group at James Madison University couldn’t perform “Mary Did You Know?” because it is too religious. They could only sing secular songs. (Perhaps they should have sung something university officials would be more comfortable with. Like modern music about drug use and treating women like objects.)
- The Freedom from Religion Foundation sued the city of Santa Clara, California. The city’s crime? They displayed a granite cross in Memorial Cross Park. (Wow! If you can’t have a cross in a park named “Memorial Cross Park,” where can you have one?)
- An Ohio library banned a Christian group from meeting to discuss traditional marriage. The library told the group they had to include supporters of same-sex marriage. (Let me turn the tables: Would they force a group wishing to discuss same-sex marriage to include those who support traditional marriage?)
- In 2012, the government banned prayers at a homeless shelter in Evansville, Illinois. Even though the prayers were open to all and were not required. (Now, they only allow a moment of silence.)
- San Diego firefighters were threatened with discipline if they refused to participate in a gay pride parade. (The firefighters were then insulted during the parade.)
- In 2013, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (yes, them again) demanded that the city of Coos Bay, Oregon remove its Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. Guess why? Because it includes a cross. (So far, the city has refused to remove it.)
- Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freedom were charged with criminal contempt in Santa Rosa County, California. Because they prayed over a meal. No students were present during this after-hours luncheon. (Fortunately, they were declared not guilty.)
- There are too many examples of attempts to remove nativity scenes, “In God We Trust” mottos and “God Bless America” signs to include here.
Folks, the religious freedom we once enjoyed is slipping away. Slowly but surely.
As Travis Weber, director for the Center of Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, said, “Anyone who desires freedom in the future must take note of what these trends tell us about our freedom right now, relative to where we have come from.”
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Thank the ACLU who has been leading the way since Rodger Baldwin founded it here.
They were founded by Commies, and are still run by Socialist Radicals who are using the court systems to slowly eradicate every right you have. ..One of the most important is Religious Freedom, and it has been the ACLU’s main target for a long, long time.
That’s why everything turns into a lawsuit so some Leftist judge makes every decision in your life for you. We are under attack by our own Judicial/legal systems re-inventing the Constitution at every turn.
Wake up and smell the java.
They are using the letter of the law against us at every turn.Your Rights are the only thing that can damage Your Rights, if that makes any sense.
Only a diamond can cut a diamond….
A sword has two edges and cuts both ways…..
You can do the WRONG things with your freedoms too if we aren’t careful to guard them with every fibre of our bodies.
Now remember Obama appointed over 350 Leftist Judges to the Federal Courts of Appeals
during his tenure and that now the ACLU has joined the “Resist” movement along with Soros
money. The fight is here and it’s for real Folks.
Obama is still alive and operating a well laid out plan……………with our enemies.
Thank GOD we are out of the nightmare of the Obama administration… They did more to setback our Country than has been in 241 years
I think your absolutely correct !!
This country was built on the principles of “Nature’s Law” and “Nature’s God”. They were and are the glue that held this nation together. All Christians need to stand and push back against this rampant paganism.
OBAMA, CLINTON, SOROS, AND ALL THE COHORTS OF HIS SHOULD BE LOCKED UP AND LEARN THE CONSTITUATION BEFORE BEING RELEASED—THEN DEPORT EVERY ONE. CARIMINALS ARE NOT FIT TO EVEN LIVE HERE—MUCH MORE BE PART OF THE GOVT. LARRY KAYLAND –ATTY. IS WORKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW. ATTY. FOR FREEDOM WATCH.
U.S. history is replete with examples of religious intolerance. Many people in this great country have ancestors who have suffered from these kinds of heinous acts. It goes back to the earliest history of this land, and sadly it continues on today. As Christians we need to practice what we preach and “love our neighbors as ourselves.” Don’t be so quick to judge others, and LEARN TO LISTEN. Those people who want “freedom from religion” will eventually shoot themselves in the foot
I am forced to agree with those who say bashing the last POTUS is old news , and given the fact that you do not say anything negative about the current person destroying our country in the name of money . I wonder how much big pharma and big medico are kicking into his back pocket . As he is a republican , profit is what he is about . The good folks who voted for him ( assuming Russia was not a factor ) bend over , you are going to be regretting your choice . Republican pres. are convinced that ” TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS ” is a better way to fix our job market . Since you are so into bashing Obama , may I remind you that he tried to stimulate the economy with his bail outs . What happened Frank ? Did any of that money make it into the workforce ? Was it used for anything positive ? Or did it go into the pockets of the wealthy bank and corporation CEOs and owners ? The current POTUS made a statement that under his plan healthcare would be more reasonably priced , cause it makes it competitive , hogwash . The health insurance companies are all on the same page . One raises it’s rate and to keep up, the rest do the same . About religious freedom being trampled by president Obama and company , that started long before he was elected . When I was in school , we had a morning devotional , and we saluted the flag . Now a days the kids are not allowed to even wish someone a merry Christmas . My kids were in school when politically correct became the way . My grand children are not allowed to have Christmas parties at school , because it may offend someone . Separation of Church and State ?
Thank you for continuing to tell us what is happening to our religious freedoms. And people continue to say, “What was wrong with the Obama presidency?” It’s hard to believe they didn’t see it at the time and still don’t see it. It may be old news, but the actions he took, that were encouraged during his presidency, continue to affect us. The attitudes are out there as confirmed by the fact that there is a Freedom FROM religion Foundation May they soon know the blessings of a faith in Jesus Christ in our lives.
Obama did what he did because he is not a christian, he is a Muslim and his religion is Islam. The man should never have been put in a position of power any power. The damage he has done will take years to be undone if at all. One thing that is evident is that he is still doing damage even though he is no longer in power.