Religious Persecution by the U.S.

Normally, I am the first to defend the U.S.'s actions in regards to the war on terror, but two events this past year have caused me to deviate from this position. The first event was the infamous torture of prisoners that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Nothing more can be said about that that has not already been said.

This second event, though, saddens me even more. It has recently come to light that a female interrogator of terror prisoners at Guatanomo Bay pointedly tried to humiliate prisoners based on their religion, and even took steps to turn them from their faith through her questioning. I understand the necessity of obtaining information on the war on terror, but we can never let the ends justify the means if it changes us in the process.

We are a country that was founded on religious freedom. Yes, in the early days of our country that meant solely Christianity. I still affirm that we are a Christian nation. But, the bedrock foundation of our country is religious freedom for all, regardless of their faith. That means that we should be the last place on the earth where religious persecution takes place.

I am not opposed to Christians sharing the good news of Christ with people from other faiths. That is a foundational belief. But it is another thing all together to try to force a person of another faith to leave their religion or to force them to commit what is deemed "sin" in their religion in the name of freedom. When we do that, we cease to be the nation God called us to be and we cease to be the Christians we claim to be.

Perhaps we should heed the words of the French Statesman, Alexander de Tocqueville, from the early 19th Century:
-- I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there.
-- I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her fertile fields and boundless forests, and it was not there.
-- I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.
-- I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her public school system and her institutions of learning, and it was not there.
-- I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her democratic congress and her matchless constitution, and it was not there
-- Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power -- America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great"