BJC offers timely answers to questions about religious liberty

A new one-page resource advocates a “golden rule” for religious liberty.

“Do not ask government to promote your religion if you don’t want government to promote somebody else’s religion; and do not permit government to hinder somebody else’s religion if you don’t want government to hinder your own religion,” advocates the free online pamphlet produced by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

Holly Hollman, BJC general counsel, said the What is Religious Liberty? handout is intended to clear up confusion about a term at the heart of the organization’s work for more than 80 years that being used loosely by the media, presidential candidates and others today.

“Religious liberty is something generally seen as bringing people together,” Hollman said.

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ike any freedom, the BJC says, religious liberty is not without limits, and in cases where some religious practices conflict with other laws, allowances for religious exercise must take into consideration “the rights and well-being of others who may be detrimentally affected.”

Religious liberty is legally protected in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the document says, with clauses prohibiting an “establishment” of religion and protecting its “free exercise.” The idea is for the government to remain neutral, “neither helping nor hurting religion, but allowing people to practice their religion.”

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