I find it important as Christians to stand up for religious freedom both as a pragmatic concern and as a moral obligation. On the pragmatic angle, it is in the best interest of Christians to support strong state and societal institutions that protect religious freedom while we are able, such that these institutions will endure if we are no longer the majority or the major power-brokers in our societies. Even if another religion is the powerful class in society, strong institutions will protect us even when we are not in the drivers seat. As a moral matter, religious liberty is important for the cultivation of authentic Christianity. JPII remarked that the Church always proposes, and never imposes its teaching on society. This respect for the human ability to make choices and the holding of space for genuine conversions of the heart, beyond any coercion, is always in the best interest of Christians.
