I just heard of another ridiculous rule or law or whatever they choose to call it about God and Jesus being prohibited. This time it is in a funeral at the national cemetery in Houston. The last time I heard about this topic, it was a valedictorian in Vermont who was told he could not talk about how Jesus had changed his life. I understand that there are those who are afraid of Christians speaking, even though they believe that what they say is not true. What I don't understand is why Christians keep allowing their freedom of speech and their free exercise of religion to be violated.
If someone says you can't mention God and you do, what is going to happen? Are you going to get a ticket? Are they taking you to jail? Are you not going to get your diploma? Are they not going to bury your loved one? Is this the United States or Nazi Germany?
If someone tells me I can't say God, my whole speech is going to be about how I was told I can't talk about God in a country with a constitution that has guaranteed me that right. I'll talk about the amendment that says congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. And that is all it says about religion. It says nothing about what I as an individual can and can't do with respect to my religious beliefs, unless they intrude on the rights of another, and then that's a different story.
I am a Christian. You can't tell what my religious beliefs are by the way I dress or the way I walk down the street. There is nothing in my clothing or my accessories - I don't even wear a cross - that reveals how or what I worship. I display my religion in the way I act, whether someone is observing me or not, in the way I speak and even in the topics I choose to talk about. I will not stop talking about the One I revere as the Creator and Savior of the world. I will teach my children to do the same and will stand by them any time they get in trouble for doing so.
I am an American. I will let no one tell me I cannot worship the Lord in the way I want to. I will not give away this right or any other. I will also allow those of different religious beliefs to enjoy the same freedom I am exercising, whether I understand their beliefs or not. I allow those who do not believe in God to do the same. I do not attempt, in living my life my way, to in any way force, manipulate or influence others to do the same if it is not their choice. I just claim the right to the same consideration.
