Regarding a story in the news
Accessibility Notice
This post was created on the previous version of the MRFF website, and may not be fully accessible to users of assistive technology. If you need help accessing this content, please reach out via email.Dear Military Religious Freedom Foundation,
Either you stand up FOR the Christians Christmas display at Guantanamo OR you Need to change your name to “Military Religious Freedom Foundation for Every Religion EXCEPT Christianity”
Either you are for EVERYONE Religious Freedom, or you are for NO ONES Religious Freedom. You Cannot Have It Both Ways. Christians HAVE EVERY RIGHT Under the US Constitution To Have Their Religious Freedom, The Constitution DOES NOT SAY, “Freedom FROM Religion”, it SAYS, :Freedom OF Religion and the Frees Association thereof”
(name withheld)
Hello (name withheld),
Actually, for some Americans and for the courts of this country, freedom of religion does mean freedom from religion. Those who choose to express their freedom by being non-believers are just as much protected by the law as are those who follow a faith. That’s why the Supreme Court ruled over 40 years ago in a case called Lemon v Kurzman that government may not advance, promote, recommend or proselytize one religion over another or religion over non-religion.
Not that we at the MRFF promote non-religion; in fact, most of our members/supporters are Christians. But we do recognize the importance of protecting the freedom of belief or non-belief of every American as one of the fundamental rights inherent in citizenship. And, though it seems to be hard for some to understand, our objection to the “Christians Christmas display,” as you refer to it, is not because we are anti-Christian but because we oppose having a body of the government, as I’m sure you understand the U.S. military to be, promoting a religion. We have no problem with such a display on the chapel grounds, as was the result of the same problem at Shaw AFB in South Carolina, but to put it in the mess hall or any other area that suggests government sponsorship is not only wrong, it’s against the law.
Sadly, the assumption by those who believe a Christian display endorsed by the government is acceptable to everyone is taken so much for granted at Christmas that objections to it are misunderstood by people like you and resented by others who want to promote Christianity over other beliefs or non-belief. So please understand that pro-Christian displays are fine in church, chapel or in appropriate places, but not in government-sponsored places where others who don’t share the belief are subject to them.
And, as I’m sure you’ll agree, when one who objects to having such a display foist on him or her in the mess hall, to have those in charge tell them to eat somewhere else is not only morally wrong and illegal, it displays the height of religious arrogance.
Best,
Mike Farrell