Readers, we really want a President to make religious freedom part of our foreign policy. This worries me that a President would use military might, or might of any king that might lead to hostilities, to force ‘religious freedom’ on someone else. Before you get all worked up, imagine this:
If a solidly ‘Christian’ nation was accused of preventing, say, Muslims from experiencing religious freedom, would you want the President of the United States to get so involved that that country has to allow religious freedom?
This just doesn’t sit well me.
Arab Times :: ‘Slavery’ in US, Kuwait: McCain.
WASHINGTON (AFP): Presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee John McCain vowed in a speech on Wednesday to make freedom of religion a key foreign policy issue if he is elected to the White House in November. “There is no right more fundamental to a free society than the free practice of religion,” said McCain, speaking at Oakland University in the state of Michigan. “Behind walls of prisons and persecuted before our very eyes in places like China, Iran, Burma, Sudan, North Korea and Saudi Arabia are tens of thousands of people whose only crime is to worship God in their own way.
“As president, I intend to make religious freedom a subject of great importance for the United States in our relations with other nations. I will work in close concert with democratic allies to raise the prominence of religious freedom in every available forum,” McCain said.
He added: “Whether in bilateral negotiations, or in various multinational organizations to which America belongs, I will make respect for the basic principle of religious freedom a priority in international relations.
According to McCain, no society “that denies religious freedom can ever rightly claim to be good in some other way. And no person can ever be true to any faith that believes in the dignity of all human life if they do not act out of concern for those whose dignity is assailed because of their faith.”
August 23rd, 2008 10:28 am
Yes we do, not having religous freedom is a very big part of humanitarian problems. When religious freedom is restricted, bad things happen. Much violence is caused by this, the terrorists we fight today are people trying to restrict religous freedom.
I like how you say “force religious freedom”, how can you force freedom on a person? People are always looking for freedom, but it is often restricted. All you have to do is open the gate, and the people will do the rest.
August 23rd, 2008 11:37 am
The U.S. has no business forcing religious freedom or any other freedom on another nation. It is not as if we have the best standing on that front, you know.
August 23rd, 2008 12:09 pm
I think what McCain is saying, is what your American Constitution is saying, that the desire for religious freedom is “endowed” on all men…humanity by God!
August 23rd, 2008 12:18 pm
But this will be my last political offering. Not to worry…lol.
Fr.R.
August 23rd, 2008 12:57 pm
“I like how you say “force religious freedom”, how can you force freedom on a person?”
“The U.S. has no business forcing religious freedom or any other freedom on another nation.”
Was that supposed to be an answer? Seriously, forcing freedom on people is an oxymoron. It’s like restricting people to do whatever they want. I’m going to MAKE YOU DO THINGS YOUR WAY, LIKE IT OR NOT!! Yeah, really scary, isn’t it?
August 23rd, 2008 5:20 pm
Keeping to the religious and spiritual side. It was Luther who said that his conscience was bound by the Scripture! This is profound! Each of us in this realm should find our conscience and ideal here. For only here is there real freedom. Pressing this theologically, is there a natural theology? Barth said “nein”! Brunner yes!
August 23rd, 2008 6:07 pm
Fr. Robert, I agree with Luther on this. I simply do not believe that ‘religious freedom’ should be a foreign policy goal of any national government.
In my opinion, McCain (like Obama and his faith based program) is simply appealing to the evangelicals during the election cycle.
August 23rd, 2008 6:24 pm
Joel,
Yes, we can never make religious freedom a mere political issue. It is really conscience alone before God!
Fr.R.
August 23rd, 2008 6:29 pm
Religious freedom is a humanitarian issue. When we see it happening, we go to that government and tell them to knock it off. But, we do not-and McCain has not suggested this-go to war just because of humanitarian issues, except in extremes (someone tried to kill off a race of people, for instance).
August 23rd, 2008 6:39 pm
Yes, but if ‘religious freedom’ is a part of American diplomacy, at what stage will it be be either abandoned or enforced? And how will religious freedom be enforced?
August 23rd, 2008 6:48 pm
I agree with Joel here, the Church is the only righteous body to speak to the issue of so-called religious freedom, and not the government. Even the US Constitution as wonderful as it is, needs the help of another and higher institution – the Church of God!
Fr.R.
August 24th, 2008 1:18 am
You don’t “give” freedom without taking someone’s control. That always means a fight, and that’s not our government’s/military’s role.