Trump: Americans Should Not Be Forced to Choose Between Their Faith, the Law

In a religious freedom proclamation today, President Trump declared that no American should be forced to choose between their faith and the law, and it doesn’t matter if that American is “a nun, nurse, baker or business owner.”

“Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of religious freedom, whether by threatening tax consequences for particular forms of religious speech, or forcing people to comply with laws that violate their core religious beliefs without sufficient justification,” the president said. “These incursions, little by little, can destroy the fundamental freedom underlying our democracy.”

The president of the United States proclaimed January 16 to be Religious Freedom Day with an official statement:

Religious freedom has shaped United States history from the beginning. Learn more about how the Administration is fighting to protect it on this Religious Freedom Day. https://t.co/Bhfsus3IUV pic.twitter.com/wJXsZZi8b9

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 16, 2018

By mentioning “a nun, nurse, baker or business owner,” Trump was referring to some of the more disgraceful episodes of the Obama era: his administration tried to force the Little Sisters of the Poor to include sterilizations, abortifacients, and contraception in their health insurance coverage; and bakers were financially ruined for refusing to bake wedding cakes for gay marriages.

A ruling on one such case is currently pending in the United States Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court last month heard arguments in the case of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, saying expressing support for same-sex marriage would clash with his religious faith. The couple filed a complaint with the state’s civil-rights commission, saying they were humiliated by the baker’s refusal to serve them.

Trump noted in his proclamation that he signed an executive order soon after taking office to “ensure Americans are able to follow their consciences without undue government interference.”

“Protecting and promoting religious freedom is a foreign policy priority of the Trump administration,” the State Department tweeted Tuesday:

Protecting and promoting #ReligiousFreedom is a foreign policy priority of the Trump administration. Together with our partners, we will strive for a more just world where all can enjoy the freedoms of thought, conscience and religion. https://t.co/F7VQ9w3exx #ReligiousFreedomDay

— Department of State (@StateDept) January 16, 2018

The Virginia General Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on January 16, 1786. Current National Religious Freedom Day observances commemorate this historic event:

#OnThisDay in 1789, the Virginia General Assembly adopts Thomas Jefferson's landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which later would become the basis for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. #ReligiousFreedomDay pic.twitter.com/CJJUcit83H

— Mount Vernon (@MountVernon) January 16, 2018

Of course, no event involving religion would be complete without these attention-seeking clowns weighing in:

📷 CHURCH OF SATAN CELEBRATES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY The Church of Satan has openly offered an… https://t.co/sDa5InWzYr

— The Church Of Satan (@ChurchofSatan) January 16, 2018