On February 6th, President Trump attended the National Prayer Breakfast—an annual event that already blurs state and religious lines and agendas—and gave remarks that should trouble every American.
The coordination of this event with the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, which two senators co-chair, clearly disrespects the foundational principle of religious freedom that this country was built upon. The National Prayer Breakfast has a history of promoting divisive Christian nationalist visions, and President Trump’s endorsement of the event lends it an unwarranted legitimacy.
Trump used exclusive religious rhetoric to support one kind of Christianity, furthering the idea that Christian nationalism is a welcome part of our government and society. Trump proudly raised his hands and stated that “Americans are reasserting our true identity as a people ordained by God” and went on to say that America is a nation that “trusts in the Providence of an Almighty God”. The United States is a country composed of people from diverse faiths as well as those with no religious affiliation. By failing to recognize this and upholding only one religious viewpoint, Trump disrespects the religious diversity of this nation.
After Trump finished his prayers, he quickly moved into action and boasted of his administration’s plan to create a new task force. This task force, led by the US Attorney General, aims to seek out supposedly rampant “anti-Christian bias” across our government and society. While this task force will operate under the guise of religious freedom, many political and religious leaders are worried that bigotry, invasions of privacy, and discrimination will ensue.
Interfaith Alliance believes that the National Prayer Breakfast clearly violates the separation of church and state and does not honor the true spirit of religious freedom. Our elected officials have a civic duty not to hold one religion as more significant than others, as done in the National Prayer Breakfast. We must reject all attempts to use religious rhetoric to justify oppressive policy and stay vigilant in the protection of religious freedom and separation of church and state.
Rosa Casey-Teeley is a Policy Intern at Interfaith Alliance.
Jesus Christ’s Kingship: Religious Freedom or Religious Imposition?
In North Dakota’s Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly, House Concurrent Resolution 3020, introduced by Representatives Rios, Christianson, Henderson, Holle, Hoverson, Morton, Nehring, VanWinkle, K. Anderson, J. Johnson, and Senators Walen and Weston, has ignited a considerable debate about infringement on religious freedom. At the heart of this controversy is a proposal to acknowledge Jesus Christ’s Kingship to redeem society. However, clergy, interfaith communities, and community members warn that this measure threatens religious freedom and moves toward government endorsement of Christianity.
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