In a recent story, NPR raised the question of who religious freedom applies to, and what conservative Christians think about its application to Muslims. Unlike NPR, I refuse to use quote marks to describe religious freedom—itself a recent development that the news media obediently follow, along with everyone else who all of a sudden wants to question the legitimacy of a constitutional principle over two hundred years old.
Turning to NPR’s story, the answer is: Yes, religious freedom goes for all faiths. This is clear enough from the positions most conservative, Christian advocacy groups take on the issue, confirmed by their support for RFRA and Free Exercise rights (which by their legal methodology naturally apply to all faiths). Family Research Council recently made this very clear in articulating our actual position on religious liberty, instead of what it is often perceived to be. Sensible people understand that security needs do not justify (and are even impaired by) blanket religious discrimination. Indeed, as security expert Dr. Sebastian Gorka pointed out the other day at FRC, one can address security concerns intelligently and efficiently, while preserving the religious liberty we hold dear for all faiths.
The NPR story simply tries to rustle up more than is there. The pastor cited as in opposition to religious freedom for Muslims reportedly says “he believes the U.S. Constitution protects all religions, including Islam”—he just wishes advocates would channel their energies slightly differently. Sounds like he does believe religious freedom is for all. Can we expect the media to interview some Imams who would say the same thing?
The real story lies in the currents underlying the NPR story. The Muslims who stand for religious freedom are courageous and deserve our support. But there are many within the Muslim world—as Muslims define it—who don’t have any concept of civil liberties for people of all faiths, and are willing to die fighting against such a concept. Dr. Gorka referenced this war within Islam the other day at Family Research Council. The largest group of victims of Jihadists are other Muslims. Those within the world of Islam who refuse to support religious freedom for all need to be confronted, and the media who ignore them and give them a free pass deserve to be called out.
Instead of trying to create a sensation where none exists, perhaps the media can focus on the religious freedom story that does exist.
