| WASHINGTON
- September 15 - Today in a rally held
on Capitol Hill, Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.) reintroduced the
misnamed Religious Freedom Amendment, a Constitutional amendment
that would rewrite the First Amendment, opening the door for
state-sponsored religion and undermine religious liberty.
In response, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, executive director of The
Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:
"Earlier today, The Interfaith Alliance held a news conference
critiquing the increasing trend among presidential political
candidates to manipulate religion for political gain. This
electoral tactic extends beyond the campaigns. Today, Congressman
Ernest Istook's reintroduction of the Religious Freedom Amendment
is an attempt to help the religious right find a hot-button issue
that will mobilize and energize its dwindling base. This strategy
is flawed and will backfire because ultimately, people of faith
reject those who try to manipulate their faith for partisan gain.
"Americans are a believing people who enjoy unprecedented
religious freedom and liberty from government intrusion or state
coercion. The Istook Amendment ignores our nation's religious
pluralism. Indeed, the United States has accomplished what no
nation has yet to achieve. Over 2,000 religious traditions have
flourished and co-exist in our country because of the
Constitutional protections against government interference in the
personal matter of faith and prayer.
"As Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and others, we
cherish our religious freedoms and oppose the efforts to bring back
the days of majority rule and take away the precious religious
liberties that have allowed our democracy to become strong."
The Interfaith Alliance is a national non-partisan grassroots
organization of clergy and people of faith and goodwill from 50
different religious traditions dedicated to promoting the positive
healing role of religion in public life.
###
|
Share This Article With A Friend