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Freedom Of Religion Under Attack

Freedom of religion under increasing attack, LDS leader says
Elder Oaks describes threats, says church members must step up

"There is a battle over the meaning of that freedom," said Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve. "The contest is of eternal importance, and it is your generation that must understand the issues and make the efforts to prevail." He listed several examples of current controversies regarding religious freedom - laws governing marriage and adoption, laws regulating activities of church-related organizations in furthering their religious missions, and laws prohibiting discrimination in employment circumstances against people with unpopular religious beliefs or practices. Ref. Source 4

Attack Religion Freedom

What the heck is he talking about? How in the world giving gays the right to get married and adopt suddenly becomes an attack on freedom of religion? The statement is silly you know what am I saying? It sounds to me that this statement was given with the intent to scare people and make them to believe in a particular way. Well sorry it aint working for me!

Freedom Of Religion Under Attack Studies Doctrine Mormon

Mormons are entitled to defend their freedom of religion

This past week, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church raised a strong voice of warning in defense of religious freedom. His words were elegant, articulate and unambiguous. Those who see his talk solely, or even primarily, as a reaction to the Proposition 8 battle in California and its aftermath either have not read the talk or willingly wish to minimize its importance. Ref. Source 6

Attack Religion Freedom

There certainly is a strong attack on freedom of religion in the United States. However, it is stronger in Canada and Europe.

I haven't read Elder Oaks' talk, but he is probably referring to the "backlash" against Mormons and others in California for supporting Prop 8. For some reason a lot of people have gotten the idea that the idea of the 1st Amendment includes keeping people's religious beliefs out of politics. So, when an individual or a group take a political stand based on religious beliefs, quite a large portion of the population object. This becomes an attack on the freedom to think and act on religious belief.

Attack Religion Freedom

Why Elder Oaks is rubbing the wound over and over? I mean come on didnt we get enough attention already? Why bringing this up again? We look like attention seeking folks you know what am I saying? Wrong timing folks, wrong timing.

Freedom Of Religion Under Attack

I am not sure how a "large portion of the population" objecting is an attack on ones freedom and religious belief? The act of objecting, protesting, and etc. Is participating in that very right of thought, expression and belief. Do we not have the right to object and act in our beliefs? I do not know what you mean by "large portion of the population". If I am not mistaking in Prop 8, the "larger portion of the population" agreed with the church because the issue failed. In this case the church is in the majority.
As for elder Oaks comments, I understand what he is saying, but I really do not agree. First it was Communism, and inter-racial marriage now it is gays that will destroy our freedoms and families. It seems that I have seen this over and over before.

Freedom Religion Attack

Sorry, I wasn't very clear.

"A large portion of the population" = "A significant fraction of the population". Neither phrase indicates a majority.

The problem is that the portion of the population that objected so strenuously to Prop 8 is extremely vocal, and has a lot of practice in getting their minority opinion instituted as de facto law through the court system. So, they not only protested, but they caused various Mormons to get fired from their jobs, they also filed suits in the courts in an attempt to harm Prop 8 proponents including the LDS church. So, besides their use of freedom of speech to attempt to sway opinion, they also legally attacked the church members' freedom of speech and religion.

Now, the reason that so many of us see this as an attack on freedom of religion is that Canada HAS passed laws restricting the rights of religious people to express their opinions and beliefs regarding homosexuality. So have several European countries. Since the Left has shown its strong desires to make the US like Europe and Canada, and the Left controls all three branches of the US Government, it is very likely that we will see some of these attacks on religious freedom codified.

As for the other items you pointed out - Communism and interracial marriage, lets consider them with a little depth.

First of all, Communism. Has it affected the Church? Absolutely. Has it affected the family? Absolutely. The Communist (actually extreme Socialist) movement of the 1950s forward has led directly to our current situation, where socialist ideas permeate the culture. These ideas include a lot of ideas that are harmful to families. Since we failed at keeping communism and socialism out of our culture, we get to suffer the consequences.

Interracial marriage? The fact is that children of interracial marriages have a more difficult time in life. It is also a fact that interracial marriages, in the 1970s and 1980s at least, were more likely to end in divorce.

The point is that Western culture in general, and the US culture specifically, continue to choose wickedness over righteousness. Elder Oaks' talk is just another attempt to slow down the decline of morality within the Church as well as the world.

Freedom Religion Attack Mormon Doctrine Studies

Well stated Nighthawk. I agree, that anything we can do to slow down the decline of morality, is a worthwhile effort.

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