NO FAITH at all...

January 16, 2015 was proclaimed “Religious Freedom Day.” In the proclamation it states the First Amendment “protects the right of every person to practice their faith how they choose, to change their faith, or to practice no faith at all, and to do so free from persecution and fear.” It also stated that “our Nation continues to be shaped by people of every religion and of no religion…”

Really?

Problem is, there is no such thing as “no religion.” All individuals have inherently religious persuasions. Some believe there is a God. Others do not. A few are not sure which perspective is right, but recognize that it has to be one or the other – even if they are confused which is correct. The point is that if believing in God is “religious,” then believing in no God is equally “religious.” You cannot have it both ways.

There also is no such thing as “practicing no faith at all.” Atheists and Agnostics live their lives as if there is no God, and no final “judgment day.” Their confidence in an absence of eternal consequences forms the basis for their day-to-day actions, and is a religious position they adopt by “faith” since they cannot see beyond the grave.

These points are important.

Atheism is every bit as religious as Theism. One belief is no more, or less, religious than the other. Both have their basis in “faith.” Atheism and Theism are the ‘heads & tails’ of religion. The daily actions of persons of both persuasions are motivated by their “faith” in the existence or absence of their creator. Theists will do the right thing when no one is looking based on the conviction of a “judgment day.” Atheists are convinced that behavior doesn't matter if you don’t get caught, based on the belief there will never be a “judgment day.”

So why is this important? Well, when someone pitches the concept of “no religion” or “no faith at all” they do so in the hope of forcing everyone into their preferred religious context – one they conveniently, but erroneously, characterize as “no religion.” They want to pull the wool over your eyes by suggesting that religion is something that can be put into a box. But in truth, religion cannot be contained in a box – our daily existence is inextricably intertwined with our religious persuasion.

The negative consequence of the erroneous “no religion” concept is that it is used to bludgeon people into violating their conscience in the public square, under the smokescreen of a “no religion” religion. Laws get passed that conflict with some wide-spread sincerely held religious beliefs that do not mesh with the purportedly “non-religious” beliefs of the cultural elite.

Unfortunately, freedom of religion in this context ends up being effective only for the politically correct. Theism gets put in a box that is only to be opened momentarily on Sunday behind stained glass, while the lifestyle of Atheists proceeds unabated – even when destructive. This was the scenario recently when a mayor learned the religious beliefs of their long time Fire Chief differed from his own, and reacted by firing him. His stance is that all government employees must share anti-Biblical views.

The concepts of “no religion” and “living without faith” are a deception. And a serious threat to true religious liberty, which, with strong family structures, has made America great.