December 28, 2017: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter to the Editor * Religious liberty

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Letter to the Editor,

Religious liberty

The United States of America is one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Religious beliefs challenge both Democrats and Republicans.
Instead of faith being protected by the government of the United States, those of faith are being persecuted by the government of the United States.
Democrats and Republicans fight about every issue, but on religious liberty, our first American liberty, there should be no argument.
In America, religious belief and practice are protected by the First Amendment.
It is a founding principle and a fundamental human right, rooted in the dignity of every human person, people of every faith or no faith at all. 
Religious liberty, it’s an American issue, a civil rights issue.
Religious liberty includes our liberty of belief, speech, and worship.
But it also protects actions, the liberty to serve the common good in accordance with one’s faith.
It means that each person and their faith community, not the government, define one’s faith.
It means the liberty to be of service in accordance with the principles of one’s faith.
It means the liberty to participate fully and equally in public life, regardless of one’s faith.
It means the liberty to work in business without checking one’s faith at the door.
It means that nobody should be forced to act in a manner contrary to their own religious beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others.
A person’s life and service flows directly from their faith; the two cannot be separated.
These are matters of conscience, not subject to political negotiation or compromise.
But today, the right to live out one’s faith is being eroded.
Whenever government tries to redefine any faith community by severing religious service from religious worship, or tries to force those service providers to violate their conscience, which is a grave danger for all Americans.
Up until now both major political parties have fully backed and supported federal laws that protect conscience rights.
Religious liberty is not left or right, liberal or conservative. It’s American.

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.
Del Rio