Freedom of religion was a radical shift from the status quo in the Western World at the time of the American Revolution. To have freedom of religion meant that the central power would not be able to use religious means in order to limit the individual rights of the people and their conscience.
One of the most prevailing “token” lines in Christians circles today is something like, “I’m thankful that, in America, we don’t have to be afraid of where we worship.” That is usually followed by a statement about “Communist China” or “Soviet Russia” or “Muslim dominated Middle East.” The point is, of course, that America is a free country because we are unique in that way.
With all the outstanding breaches of individual rights in the latter half of the twentieth century, why has the freedom to practice religion not been stricken down to the same extent as many other freedoms? Very few people have actually pondered the reasons behind this. America is quickly loosing its liberties and this is not a new reality. It has taken place since the Progressive era. Yes, the freedom of speech, especially religious speech, has been attacked. And yes the freedom to include Christian curriculum in home and private schools has been slammed. But why not the freedom to assemble for religious reasons specifically? Why can we still unite into whatever denomination that pleases us?
Here is my theory. The freedom of religion was a big deal in the late 18th century because to be a Christian meant to realize that tyranny was an evil. Christians understood that the State must obey the same ethical precepts as the individual. The States hated this development. The Protestant Reformation was similar. The Pope was not to have a tyranny over the Christian world.
In “Communist China” or “Soviet Russia” or “Muslim dominated Middle East,” the leadership has realized that Christians with a voice would be able to speak boldly against the dictators. So why doesn’t the tyrannical American Government fear its Christians? Perhaps because, devastatingly, Christians have been the greatest proponents of the Warfare State (for Republican Christians) and the Welfare State (for Democrat Christians). Of course the Government does not fear American Christians!
The Christians are their biggest fans!
Christianity today has refused to apply Christ’s moral teachings to the State. The State gets a free pass on morality because it is a government.
Christians, we ought to be ashamed. The State will seek and destroy those who threaten it. And yet it has largely left the institution of religious assembly alone.
Perhaps the Church has forsaken its principles.