Friend,
With the Christmas and Hanukkah season upon us, I would like to extend to you the happiest of holidays.
While many things are different this holiday season, I’m sorry to report that the assault on religious liberty from the far Left remains ever-present. In fact, those hostile to religion are using the pandemic as an excuse to kick their campaign into high gear and openly attack the ability to worship in America. Here in Kansas, we saw Gov. Kelly attempt to keep us away from churches on Easter.
All around the country officials have put requirements on places of worship without imposing those same rules on other businesses. For example, while abortion clinics have remained open, places of worship have endured arbitrary caps barring services of more than 50 people. In our nation’s capital this includes the Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine – the largest church in North America, with a capacity of 10,000.
These targeted double standards mean that Christians around this country may find that come Dec. 25, there’s no room for them to celebrate the birth of their Lord and Savior. This is unjust and un-American.
Thankfully, there is good news to report. Shortly before Thanksgiving the Supreme Court granted an injunction against Governor Cuomo’s restrictions in New York on religious services with 10 or 25 person limits. President Trump’s Supreme Court appointee Justice Gorsuch wrote that, “Even if the Constitution has taken a holiday during this pandemic, it cannot become a sabbatical.”
This is correct. Our great nation was not founded to merely tolerate religious beliefs, but to enshrine the right to worship freely. The Constitution doesn’t mince words; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
There have been other important legal decisions pushing back against these anti-religion mandates that have imposed ridiculous regulations on places of worship. However, more must be done to ensure that it’s clear to those who would use the pandemic to target our right to worship. You can be sure that more attacks on our right to worship are coming down the pipeline from the far Left.
If able, I’d ask that you join me in the fight this holiday season to defend our right to religious liberty. It’s a fight for the future of America.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ron Estes
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