CELEBRATION AND REFLECTION: Thomas Jefferson’s Wisdom Proves Accurate on National Religious Freedom Day, 239 years later

Tomorrow will mark the 23rd National Religious Freedom Day in America. Recognized by Presidential Proclamations since 1993, Religious Freedom Day commemorates the adoption of the 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom by the Virginia General Assembly.

Originally drafted in 1777 by Thomas Jefferson, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was officially adopted by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786. It was signed into law three days later.

The statute would later serve as the foundation for the First Amendment to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791.

Jefferson’s words in the statute caution about what would occur should governmental leaders burden the religious freedom of Americans. America now faces a time when religious liberty is facing unprecedented challenges--and Jefferson’s warnings are proving true.

Read more about this at The Liberty Institute by clicking HERE

Forbes and Lankford Send Letter in Support of High School Coach’s Freedom to Pray with Students

Washington, D.C. - October 28, 2015 (God Inspires) -- Rep. J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) and Senator James Lankford (OK), Co-Chairmen of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, have sent a letter to the Superintendent of Bremerton School District and Principal of Bremerton High School.Since 2008, the assistant High School football coach has a tradition of praying at the fifty yard line after the conclusion of school football games. At times, students have chosen to pray with him. After seven years, however, the Bremerton School District ordered him to stop these prayers.

Following the team’s homecoming game on October 16, Coach Kennedy knelt by himself to pray after the game.He was voluntarily joined by a crowd of others, including coaches and members of the opposing team. On October 23, the District told him if he repeated his tradition of praying, his actions would be “grounds for discipline, up to and including discharge from District employment.”

Congressman Forbes and Senator Lankford led 47 Members of Congress in sending a letter to the District, arguing that the District’s high school football coach’s non-coercive tradition of personally praying after the conclusion of games is not a violation of the Establishment Clause.

The Member letter contends that Coach Kennedy’s prayers do not pose an Establishment Clause concern because the prayers occur after the conclusion of the game and are optional: “[T]he mere act of a single individual kneeling alone after the conclusion of a game to quietly pray coerces no one, even when that individual is a school employee.That others may choose to join him of their own free will is irrelevant, and an exercise of their own constitutional freedoms.”

A PDF of the letter is available here, and the full text is below:


October 27, 2015

Aaron LeavellJohn Polm
Superintendent, Bremerton School District Principal, Bremerton High School
134 Marion Avenue N.1500 13th St.
Bremerton, WA 98312Bremerton, WA 98337

Dear Superintendent Leavell and Principal Polm,

We write to express our concern over reports that the Bremerton School District views Coach Joseph Kennedy’s tradition of quietly praying at the fifty yard line after the conclusion of school football games as unlawful under the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.

Among the most basic rights that Americans enjoy are the free exercise of religion, free speech, and the freedom of association. The Establishment Clause exists to ensure that the government cannot affirmatively impose or elevate one religion over another. However, it does not prohibit the government from referencing religion altogether, nor does it require that government officials proactively scrub all references of religion from the public square. Rather, the Establishment Clause ensures both that the government does not show preference to a certain religion, and that the government does not take away an individual’s ability to exercise religion.

The Supreme Court recently stated, “It is an elemental First Amendment principle that government may not coerce its citizens to support or participate in any religion or its exercise.” Town of Greece v. Galloway, 134 S. Ct. 1811 (2014). The Court went on to state that “an Establishment Clause violation is not made out any time a person experiences a sense of affront from the expression of contrary views . . . .” Id.

These guiding principles from the Court were written in the context of a challenge to a small town’s practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer.The challengers did not like that most of the prayers offered were Christian in nature, even though participation was voluntary and anyone was welcome to offer a prayer. However, the Court rejected the feeble argument that a reasonable observer would believe that the government was favoring Christianity over other religions. The content of what was volunteered was irrelevant, so long as all were welcome.

These crucial principles are no less applicable here. The Supreme Court has made clear that the voluntary observance of a brief prayer at the beginning of a legislative session—a tradition that is also embraced by both the United States Senate and House of Representatives—does not in and of itself present an Establishment Clause problem. Likewise, the mere act of a single individual kneeling alone after the conclusion of a game to quietly pray coerces no one, even when that individual is a school employee. That others may choose to join him of their own free will is irrelevant, and an exercise of their own constitutional freedoms.

The District acknowledged in its letter to Coach Kennedy’s legal counsel that he “is free to engage in religious activity, including prayer, even while on duty, so long as doing so does not interfere with performance of his job duties, and does not constitute District endorsement of religion.” We would urge you to also consider the fact that Coach Kennedy’s personal actions are not only non-coercive, but also admirable and respectable as they represent his commitment to the welfare of the young men on his team.

The Establishment Clause does not require quarantining private, non-coercive religious expression to private quarters or off-duty hours. Thank you for your service to the students and families of Bremerton.

Sincerely,

J. Randy Forbes
Member of Congress

James Lankford
United States Senator

National Religious Liberties Conference Scheduled November 6,7, 2015

Des Moines, IO - July 2, 2015 (God Inspires) -- The Supreme Court of the United States has spoken: "Gay" marriage is the law of the land. Chief Justice John Roberts' words in the minority report ring ominously: "Unfortunately, people of faith can take no comfort in the treatment they receive from the majority today."

The tax-exempt status of some religious institutions will come into question if they oppose same-sex marriage and if Christian colleges refuse dorms to homosexual couples. All Christian-owned businesses in America are in jeopardy if they refuse to accommodate homosexuals. Every Christian employee is at risk of losing his job. Every Christian school is at risk of lawsuits and fines.

Will Christian churches be forced to recognize homosexual marriage?

Will Christian businesses be forced to endorse homosexual weddings, at risk of fines, property confiscation, and imprisonment?

Will Christians face more loss of jobs, government contracts, and business?

Will Christians survive in the military?

Christians and conservatives are asking these sorts of questions as we enter the 2016 elections.

Kevin Swanson, Director of Generations with Vision, has announced a National Religious Liberties Conference taking place in Des Moines, Iowa on November 6th and 7th at the Iowa Events Center. The event is strategically planned six weeks before the first presidential caucuses.

The Freedom 2015 conference has invited all the presidential candidates and has received initial confirmations. The conference will include a presidential forum, a presidential straw poll, panels featuring persecuted Christians, workshops on legal and political strategies, a radio talk show host panel, and historical surveys on Western liberties.

Invited speakers include Kelly Shackelford, CEO of Liberty Institute, Dr. James Dobson of Family Talk, Jay Sekulow, Naghmeh Abedini, Kirk Cameron, Steve Deace, Marshall Foster, John Eidsmoe, and David & Jason Benham.

Organizer Kevin Swanson said, "This will be the issue for Christian conservatives in the 2016 elections. Our religious liberties are in the balance. Persecution for Christians is heating up in Iran, Pakistan, China, Ireland, Canada, Oregon, and Arkansas. The time to act is now. It's time to get organized, get behind this issue, and exert as much influence as possible in 2016."

Steve Deace, sponsor and radio talk show host for the USA Radio Network says this is a critical moment in the history of the nation: "2016 is the do-or-die election for religious freedom in America. If we don't elect a president that will use government to defend our God-given rights instead of threatening them, then our way of life may be gone for good. And recent history has proven it's not enough to just expect the person with the 'R' after their name to do the right thing. This will require someone with proven courage of conviction."

Kevin Swanson is the author of a new book, "Freedom: The Animating Contest of Liberty, and the Heroes that Fight for It." He is Director of Generations with Vision, a Radio Host, and a Pastor of a Christian Church in Elizabeth, Colorado.

Contact Kevin Swanson for an interview on the book and the conference at 303-646-3525 or josh@generationswithvision.com.

Media representatives are welcome to this historic conference, with complementary registration. Media correspondents may meet the presidential candidates and broadcast directly from the conference. Contact Joshua Schwisow for more information at 303-829-9895 or josh@generationswithvision.com

Generations with Vision
PO Box 1398
Elizabeth, CO 80107-1398

Contact by Telephone: Toll Free: 1-888-839-6132
Contact by E-mail: mail@generationswithvision.com

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Louisiana: Jindal signs executive order for religious liberty

BATON ROUGE, La. (BP) -- Hours after a religious freedom bill was struck down in committee Tuesday (May 20), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal quickly signed an executive order that afternoon which appeared to capture the intent and much of the language of the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act.

"In Louisiana, the state should not be able to take adverse action against a person for their belief in traditional marriage," read a statement issued from the governor's office.

"That's why I'm issuing an Executive Order this evening to prevent the state from discriminating against people, charities and family-owned businesses with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman," Jindal said. "We don't support discrimination in Louisiana and we do support religious liberty. These two values can be upheld at the same time.

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