Christian Leaders Thank President for Religious Liberty Stance

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by Abby Marino in News. Posted February 28, 2014

 

Grateful that President Obama spotlighted religious liberty at National Prayer Breakfast, leaders ask him to uphold religious freedoms in United States.

 

Nearly a dozen prominent Christian leaders signed a letter thanking President Barack Obama for his stance on religious liberty at the recent National Prayer Breakfast. The leaders, according to the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), also asked the president to “preserve First Amendment freedoms in the United States,” according to a release from the evangelical group.

[pullquote style=”right” quote=”dark”]While there are many problems with the health care law, [the HHS mandate] is an especially egregious problem that directly infringes upon Americans’ religious freedoms.[/pullquote] Leaders who signed the letter include Leith Anderson, president of the NAE; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington; Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; and numerous others.

“Untold numbers of believers today are imprisoned, tortured and killed for practicing their faith,” the letter said. “Religions are under threat globally in the face of mounting prejudice, majoritarian discrimination, sectarian violence and governmental action and inaction. We join with you in your prayer for every prisoner of conscience and for the millions around the globe who are oppressed for reasons of faith.”

Religious Freedom GavelCarl Nelson, president and CEO of Transform Minnesota, supported the letter and urged the administration to consider religious liberty issues in light of the Affordable Care Act.

“Many Christian business owners are concerned about the so-called ‘contraceptive mandate,’ where the government is requiring businesses to provide insurance coverage that violates many people’s religious beliefs,” Nelson said. “While there are many problems with the health care law, this is an especially egregious problem that directly infringes upon Americans’ religious freedoms.”

Under pressure, the administration has relaxed this mandate for certain churches and religious organizations, but has not given similar relief to other religious organizations or businesses owned by religious owners.