I thought I heard the cheers of our Founding Fathers when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious liberty in the Hobby Lobby Case. The decision dealt a blow to the overreaching hand of the current administration who wants to dictate to citizens that government mandates triumph over one’s religious convictions. This current administration has been chipping away at religious freedom, at least for the Christian faith, at an alarming rate. The Supreme Court has at last made a decision that has slowed down the anti-Christian and secularization train of the government. 

It will be interesting to see the ramifications of this decision, but the Supreme Court ruled that closely held corporations can be true to their religious objections to abortion inducing contraceptives and opt out of the governments mandate to provide these contraceptives for women. Why should anyone have to provide contraceptives for others anyway? If they want them let them go purchase them for themselves. The government has no right  to tell me or anyone else they must provide contraceptives for others. But such is the ideals of the current socialistic agenda.

The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom, but the government wanted the Supreme Court to rule you can hold religious beliefs but if your religious convictions conflict with the government then governmental mandates trump your religious beliefs. That goes against the very principles on which this great country was founded. One who is truly dedicated to their faith doesn’t divide their deeply held convictions into the sacred and secular. A person of faith doesn’t hold deeply held beliefs then checks them at the door when they report to work on Monday morning. That is what the government wanted the owners of Hobby Lobby to do.

What the current anti-religious administration doesn’t understand is that one who deeply embraces faith it is more than privately held beliefs, but their faith influences their everyday lifestyle and extends into their workplace. We have seen in recent years a government that wants to have a sterilized society free from religious expression in everyday life. This current administration wants one’s faith to be subjected to what the government deems is best for society. They believe in freedom from religion not freedom of religion as the Constitution guarantees.

One whose life is shaped by faith cannot relegate their faith to just private practice, but such faith shapes their public practice as well. Faith is more than a private matter; it shapes one’s worldview, their morals, their decisions, their conscience and their lifestyle. Thankfully,  the Supreme Court ruled that one doesn’t have to surrender their conscience at the altar of an overreaching government.

Those who seek to suppress religious liberty can deny it all they want, but this country was built on a Judeo-Christian foundation and belief in the sacredness of life and that a Higher Providence rules in the affairs of man and we are to be subject to Him. Our Founding Fathers never meant for one of faith to have to choose between living their faith in private and public and surrendering those convictions to the government. Thankfully, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious liberty and sent a message to the government that a person of faith doesn’t have to sacrifice their beliefs at the altar of  godless governmental mandates.

Let us thank the Lord the Supreme Court got it right this time and upheld the freedom granted us by the Constitution. Thank God for those Christians who took a stand and didn’t knuckle-under to the anti-constitutional government mandates. As we approach the 238th birthday of this great nation let us endeavor to follow in the footsteps and embrace the convictions of those 56 brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence, who did so in order that we might live out our faith not just in private but in the public arena.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan