Democrats are treating people of faith like criminals

FILE -- July 5, 2016: President Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walk down the steps of Air Force One after arriving at North Carolina Air National Guard Base in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The modern Democratic Party is the greatest threat to the free exercise of religion in America’s history. In their attempt to limit religious freedom, they are attacking the foundation of America’s goodness.

Never has a major party sought to shove the practice and influence of religion out of the public square like today’s Democrats.

Christians are beginning to recognize these attacks. Under President Obama’s watch, we had to fight for the right to practice our faith in business and in community service. See Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Zubik v. Burwell respectively. In other words, Christians had to sue the government in order to continue to practice their faith.

In a recent report, the chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission is quoted as saying, “The phrases ‘religious liberty’ and ‘religious freedom’ will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance.”

In the minds of the Obama administration, religious freedom is nothing more than discrimination and intolerance.

In the minds of the Obama administration, religious freedom is nothing more than discrimination and intolerance.

In the recent 2016 Democratic Party Platform, religious freedom is qualified. You can only practice religious freedom as long as it doesn’t interfere with “gay rights” or “abortion rights.” The party platform also seeks, for the first time ever, to force taxpayers to fund abortions, even if it violates their conscience. Bow down to government first, your religion second.

Democrats have also sought to strip public funding from Christian colleges, making it harder for poor and minority students to attend. They have created "hate lists" of Christian and Catholic schools. They have threatened to deny Christian schools their tax exempt status and their accreditation. They are also seeking to remove all Christian and Catholic colleges from the NCAA.

Democrats have censored pastors’ sermons, fired public officials because of what they wrote in a Bible study, and punished bakers, florists, and wedding photographers with massive fines simply for wanting to practice their faith in their businesses.

Democrats are treating people of faith like criminals.

Democrats are telling you that you can practice your faith quietly and within the walls of your home and church, your faith just cannot influence any public activity. Tell that to the millions of Christians, Jews, and Muslims who practice their faith 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tell that to the great social reformers: Martin Luther King Jr., William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman, and George Washington who made their impact on society because of their faith.

On Thursday, Donald Trump met with over 30 religious leaders from across the country to discuss religious freedom issues. Mr. Trump was attentive, interested, inquisitive, and at the end – committed to protecting religious freedom.

We explored the history of religion and virtue in shaping our country, the importance of protecting religious freedom for businesses, schools, non-profits, and churches themselves. He reconfirmed his commitment to protecting the rights of pastors to speak freely from the pulpit.

We discussed international religious freedom and that God has blessed the United States of America in order that we can be a blessing to all nations.

Listening to our discussion about the Democratic Party’s attack on religious freedom, Mr. Trump closed by saying: “Under my leadership, this will all change. The religious freedom of Americans will be protected and strengthened.”

While one party seeks to totally squash the practice of religion, Donald Trump is actively seeking to understand and fortify religious freedom.

During the primaries, I condemned Donald Trump’s remarks about women, the disabled, and minorities. I have never justified nor excused those comments. Our president must act better. But when it comes to the policies that will affect every single American, Hillary Clinton’s attack on religion makes her totally unqualified to be the president of the United States.

Her policies are in direct conflict with the U.S. Constitution and will limit the rights of millions of Americans to run a business, provide community service, worship, or educate in accordance with their religious beliefs.