Religious Freedom for All

In 1790, at a time when western Europe excluded Jews from the full rights of citizenship, including the ability to hold public office, President George Washington wrote a memorable letter to the Jewish congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. They had written congratulating him on his election. In reply, Washington assured them that “the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should [conduct] themselves as good citizens.” President Washington included a prayer for their welfare: “May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants—while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.” (Letter from George Washington to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, 21 August 1790)

No one who knows the difficult history of the Jewish people, or their fate during succeeding generations, can fail to be impressed by Washington’s affirmation of religious freedom. Sadly, we have recently witnessed serious antisemitism in some of our cities and at our universities.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, “People of faith need to stand together for tolerance and dignity of people of all religious faiths.”

The eleventh of thirteen of our Articles of Faith, which outline our fundamental beliefs, states, “We claim the privilege of worshiping almighty God according to dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”

Joseph Smith, the prophet who founded our church, declared, “I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular.”

Early in Latter-day Saint history, our people were driven from their homes and communities in Missouri. The governor of that state even issued an order to exterminate any Latter-day Saints who remained there. Yet when Latter-day Saints founded the city of Nauvoo in Illinois, they sought to protect religious freedom. And in an 1841 Nauvoo City Ordinance, those who had suffered religious persecution sought to guarantee tolerance for all. “Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, that the Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Latter-day Saints, Quakers, Episcopals, Universalists, Unitarians, Muslims, and all other religious sects and denominations whatever, shall have free toleration, and equal privileges in this city.”

President Dallin H. Oaks said, “Religious liberty faces serious challenges around the world. These include secularism, authoritarianism, political correctness and deteriorating attitudes toward religion. Religious liberty demands unity among denominations. When leaders join forces to confront religious liberty challenges, they do not need to examine doctrinal differences or identify their many common elements of belief. All that is necessary for unity is our shared conviction that God has commanded us to love one another and has granted us freedom in matters of faith. With the love and mutual respect taught by divine commandments, we need to find ways to learn from one another and to reinforce the common commitments that hold us together and promote stable pluralistic societies. We should walk shoulder to shoulder along the path of religious freedom for all, while still exercising that freedom to pursue our distinctive beliefs.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “Religious freedom is the cornerstone of peace in a world with many competing philosophies. It gives us all space to determine for ourselves what we think and believe—to follow the truth that God speaks to our hearts.”

Religious freedom is now under fire. Although religious freedom lies at the core of what America is and what it stands for, critics now openly ask whether religion belongs in American public life at all. Some say that faithful Americans have no business speaking of their beliefs when addressing issues of public concern, even when those issues involve unmistakably moral judgments. Others condemn churches and religious organizations for expressing moral and religious perspectives on matters of public policy—especially when those perspectives conflict with secular viewpoints. Some even claim, with no sense of history, that religious people and institutions violate the constitutional separation of church and state if they bring their beliefs into the public square.

People of faith need to be united in our efforts to protect religious freedom and tolerance.

Elder and Sister Cromar are senior missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Mat-Su Valley.