The liberty principle for this
Freedom Friday concerns religious freedom or the freedom to worship according
to one’s conscience. Religious freedom is so important that all people across
the world should recognize its value and come together to preserve and promote
it. Several of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
have addressed this topic recently. The following quotes can be found here.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second
counselor in the First Presidency, spoke in Los Angeles, California, in April
2015 and said, “Church members seek to create goodwill among people of all
religious beliefs, political persuasions, and of every race.”
Continuing, President Uchtdorf said,
“the effort to throw off traditions of distrust and pettiness and truly see one
another with new eyes – see each other not as aliens or adversaries but as
fellow travelers, brothers and sisters, and children of God – is one of the
most challenging while at the same tie most rewarding and ennobling experiences
of our human existence.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles spoke in Argentina in October 2015 and said, “There
should be no belligerence between religion and government. We all lose when an
atmosphere of anger or hostility or contention prevails.”
Continuing, Elder Oaks said, “Governments
and their laws can provide the essential protections for believers and
religious organizations and their activities.” He noted that religious principles,
teachings, and organizations “can help create the conditions in which public
laws and government institutions and their citizens can flourish” and “live
together in happiness, harmony, and peace.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke in London, England, in June 2015 and said, “By
appealing to one’s deepest values, religions and religious organizations have a
unique capacity to motivate people and, at the same time, cultivate attitudes
of forgiveness, reconciliation, and a willingness to strive yet again for the
ideal in their personal lives and in society.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in April 2015 in
Portuguese. His audience included Muslims, Catholics, Adventists, Jews, Evangelicals,
Latter-day Saints, native spiritualists, people of no particular faith, and
others in a conference celebrating religious liberty. Elder Christofferson
said, “Religious freedom is the cornerstone of peace in a world with many
competing philosophies…. May we pursue peace by working together to preserve
and protect the freedom of all people to hold and manifest a religion or belief
of their choice, whether individually or in community with others, at home or
abroad, in public or private, and in worship, observance, practice, and
teaching.”
These are just a few of the comments
made by Apostles about religious freedom in a short period of time. Why do you
think that Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ are so concerned about freedom to
worship? I believe it is because they are seers and can see what is coming.
They are warning the worship of the need to protect freedom of religion because
the world will be in dire trouble if the people lose the right to worship as
they desire. What can you do today to preserve and protect freedom of religion?
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