[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 72 (Friday, June 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1056-E1058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AMENDMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ERNEST J. ISTOOK, JR.

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 5, 1998

  Mr. ISTOOK. Mr. Speaker, please enter the enclosed materials into the 
Record.

                                  Southern Baptist Convention,

                                      Nashville, TN, June 2, 1998.
       Dear Member of Congress: I am writing to re-iterate our 
     support for the Religious Freedom Amendment, which is soon to 
     be voted upon. Passage of the Religious Freedom Amendment is 
     essential to restoring the original intent of our First 
     Amendment. Restoring the original intent of the First 
     Amendment is essential to fully restoring religious liberty. 
     Therefore, I urge your support of this historic effort to 
     further secure our inalienable right to the free exercise of 
     religion.
       If we may be of assistance to you in your deliberation, 
     please feel free to contact Will Dodson in our Washington 
     office at (202) 547-8105. thank you for your consideration of 
     this issue of critical importance to the welfare of our 
     nation.
           Sincerely,
                                              Dr. Richard D. Land,
                                                        President,
                            Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.


     
                                  ____
                                              Christian Voice,

                                      Alexandria, VA, May 8, 1997.
     Hon. Ernest Jim Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives.
       Dear Ernest: Please accept our most heartfelt thanks and 
     congratulations on the introduction of the Religious Freedom 
     Amendment which Christian Voice fully supports.
       As you may know, Christian Voice has been a strong advocate 
     of returning voluntary prayer in public schools since our 
     founding in 1978. We were instrumental in the introduction of 
     and spearheaded the lobbying effort for President Reagan's 
     Constitutional Amendment to restore voluntary prayer in 1983.
       We look forward to working with you in this vital battle to 
     restore religious freedom in our society in order to truly 
     make America one nation under God. Please do not hesitate to 
     call on us if there is anything we can do to help you advance 
     this critically important initiative.
       Thanking you again for your outstanding leadership in 
     defending the religious freedom rights of all America, and 
     wishing you God's richest blessings, I remain
           Yours sincerely,
                                                   Gary L. Jarmin,
                                             Legislative Director.


     
                                  ____
                                  American Family Association,

                                   Washington, D.C., May 28, 1998.
       Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of our president Donald 
     Wildmon and our hundreds of thousands of supporters, I am 
     writing to indicate our support for the Religious Freedom 
     Amendment sponsored by Representative Ernest Istook of 
     Oklahoma. We are deeply concerned about the restrictions that 
     the United States Supreme Court has placed on our right to 
     religious expression. Americans' desire to keep God, our 
     Creator, in all aspects of our lives. This is a desire, which 
     conforms to that of our Founding Fathers and is our right as 
     Americans. We believe that the Religious Freedom Amendment 
     will restore the original intentions of our Founding Fathers.
       We strongly urge you to vote in favor of the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                               Patrick A. Trueman,
                                 Director of Governmental Affairs.


     
                                  ____
                                     Christian Action Network,

                                                     May 28, 1998.
     Hon. Ernest Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Istook: On behalf of Christian Action 
     Network and its 250,000 supporters, I heartily endorse the 
     passage of the Religious Freedom Amendment (H.J. Res. 78) in 
     the U.S. House of Representatives.
       The Religious Freedom Amendment (RFA) will protect people 
     of faith throughout the country. The American people have 
     again and again expressed their support for voluntary prayer 
     in the schools. Religious symbols and observances should not 
     be stripped from our public life. The Ten Commandments have 
     been banished from courthouses and public Christmas displays 
     are often cleansed of their original religious significance.
       However, the right of free speech has been expanded in 
     almost every area except religious freedom. The premise of 
     your amendment is simple: To secure the people's right to 
     acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience.
       Last June, the Supreme Court overturned the Religious 
     Freedom Restoration Act, which provided some basic 
     protections for people of faith. This decision shows that 
     passage of the Religious Freedom Amendment is even more 
     important.
       You have Christian Action Network's full support in this 
     effort. Thank you for all of your hard work.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Martin Mawyer,
                                                        President.


     
                                  ____
                                          Christian Coalition,

                                Capitol Hill Office, May 28, 1998.


  PROTECT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM--VOTE FOR THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AMENDMENT

       Dear Representative: On Thursday, June 4th, the House will 
     hold a truly historic vote. For the first time in 27 years, 
     you will consider an amendment to the United States 
     Constitution concerning the fundamental right of an American 
     citizen to publicly acknowledge his or her religious faith. 
     This constitutional amendment will guarantee the same First 
     Amendment protection to religious speech as for non-religious 
     speech, including voluntary school prayer. In a nation that 
     was founded on the principle of religious liberty, we must 
     take steps to restore the rights that our Founding Fathers 
     intended to protect. And in a recent poll in which voters 
     were asked about moral issues confronting the nation, almost 
     70% agreed that America needed a Religious Freedom Amendment 
     that would allow voluntary school prayer. The Christian 
     Coalition strongly urge you to vote for the Religious Freedom 
     Amendment (H.J. Res. 78).
       The most dramatic example of a religious freedom that has 
     been whittled away is the right to religious speech. The 
     right to free speech is one of the most highly revered and 
     protected rights in our Constitution. Yet, a series of 
     Supreme Court rulings over the past 35 years have 
     misinterpreted the Constitution to ban and censor free speech 
     when that speech is religious in nature. Specifically, the 
     Supreme Court has censored free speech in only three areas: 
     inciting violence and insurrection, obscenity, and religious 
     speech. It is absurd for the Supreme Court to equate the act 
     of expressing one's faith in God with expressions of 
     insurrection or obscenity.
       This amendment would protect the right of school children 
     to organize prayer during the school day, while explicitly 
     reigning in the influence and participation of the government 
     in such activities. The government, represented by either a 
     teacher or a school administrator, would be prohibited from 
     requiring, writing or forbidding prayer.
       With the protection of the Religious Freedom Amendment, 
     courts would no longer issue rulings such as the one in which 
     the judge upheld a teacher's decision to give a young 
     Tennessee student an ``F'' on a research paper simply because 
     the student decided to write her paper about Jesus. (Settle 
     v. Dickson County School Board). And the highest court in our 
     land would be required to enforce the right of a rabbi to 
     offer a non-sectarian prayer at a middle school graduation.
       Enactment of the Religious Freedom Amendment is the only 
     effective means to truly restore our religious freedom. On 
     behalf of the Christian Coalition, I strongly urge you to 
     vote yes for final passage on Thursday, June 4th.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Randy Tate,
                                               Executive Director.


     
                                  ____
                                  Concerned Women for America,

                                                   March 21, 1997.
     The Hon. Ernest Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Istook: Concerned Women for America 
     (CWA), as the largest pro-family women's organization in 
     America, is pleased to support your efforts to bring forward 
     a constitutional amendment that will safeguard religious 
     expression. Our over 500,000 members have continued to remind 
     us that their First Amendment rights to free religious 
     expression are routinely trampled. It's time for those who 
     seek to persecute religious people to stop hiding behind the 
     robes of the Supreme Court. It is time for a Religious 
     Freedom Amendment.
       America's religious heritage can be traced to the 
     Declaration of Independence, our founding document, which 
     reminded the world that mankind has been endowed by the 
     Creator with certain inalienable rights. And our Constitution 
     further elaborated the fundamental rights that Americans hold 
     dear. CWA favors protection for: Religious symbols (i.e. the 
     cross, creche, menorah, etc.), voluntary, student-initiated 
     and student-led prayer in all schools, and Free and secure 
     religious expression.
       Now is the time to permanently codify the rights of all 
     Americans--rights that have been ignored by many in the 
     judicial system for the last 30 years. Rep. Istook, CWA 
     appreciates your tireless efforts on behalf of America's 
     families, and we look forward to working with you and other 
     members of Congress in the months ahead.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Beverly LaHaye,
                                               Chairman & Founder.


[[Page E1057]]

     
                                  ____


                                           WallBuilders, Inc.,

                                     Aledo, TX, February 28, 1997.
     The Hon. Ernest Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Representative Istook: I am President of the national 
     ministry, WallBuilders. Our organization, which includes 
     almost one-hundred-fifty thousand citizens among its direct 
     supporters, and hundreds of States legislators and leaders, 
     is dedicated to rebuilding and protecting the religious and 
     family values on which America was founded, and which, for so 
     long, were embraced in our public policy.
       Thank you for your leadership and vision on the ``Religious 
     Freedom Amendment''--a long-awaited opportunity for millions 
     of Americans. Your amendment will again secure their genuine 
     ``free exercise of religion,'' and will reverse the religious 
     hostility now so evident in the federal courts, ending their 
     micro-management of religious activities.
       I applaud the scope of the protections you have provided in 
     your amendment, ranging from securing freedom of conscience 
     to forbidding religion-based discrimination, from securing 
     public religious speech and expressions to protecting 
     voluntary student religious exercises. Certainly, you know 
     that you have much public support behind you as recent polls 
     have shown 74 percent of the nation supporting a 
     constitutional amendment explicitly protecting school prayer, 
     and 73 percent supporting explicit wording to protect public 
     religious acknowledgments (Luntz Research Companies, January 
     16-21, 1996).
       Be assured that you have our complete and unwavering 
     support for your amendment and the protections it 
     encompasses. We are at your service in helping secure the 
     passage of this wonderful and necessary constitutional 
     amendment.
       Again, thank you for your leadership on this issue. You are 
     a genuine friend to and champion for people of faith 
     everywhere! May God continue to prosper you and your 
     endeavors for Him! God bless!
       In prayer that our government will once again be upon His 
     shoulders, and that we will again become one nation under 
     God, I remain,
                                                     David Barton.


     
                                  ____
                                                 Youth for Christ,


                                         U.S. National Office,

                                                    June 13, 1997.
     Hon. Ernest Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Istook: We at Youth for Christ would like 
     to offer our full and enthusiastic support of the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment (HJRes 78) which you have presented to this 
     session of Congress. We view your Amendment as the only way 
     to restore religious liberties in America.
       Youth for Christ is an international, interdenominational 
     movement with affiliates in 225 cities across the United 
     States and 127 countries around the world. Our target 
     audience is junior high and senior high school students. As 
     part of the body of Christ, our vision is to see every young 
     person in every people group in every nation have the 
     opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of 
     Jesus Christ and become a part of a local church. Last year 
     600,000 young people were impacted by some aspect of our 
     outreach and 33,000 young people made decisions to receive 
     Jesus Christ as their Savior.
       Nationally, we have 982 full time paid staff, 592 part time 
     staff and over 14,000 volunteers. Our annual budget is $4.2 
     million.
       We wholeheartedly encourage Congress to enact the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment.
           Cordially,
                                                      Roger Cross,
                                                        President.


     
                                  ____
                                       Coral Ridge Ministries,

                                                   March 21, 1997.
     Hon. Ernest Istook,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Istook: Thank you for spearheading the 
     effort to draft and introduce into Congress a Religious 
     Freedom Amendment. This measure has my complete support.
       The need for the protection that this constitutional 
     amendment offers is evident in a cursory review of some 
     recent attacks on religious expression, often under the 
     rubric of protecting the so-called wall of separation between 
     church and state.
       Witness these few examples:
        In Alabama, a state judge is under attack for 
     having the Ten Commandments posted in his courtroom and 
     allowing an outside clergyman to lead prayer at jury 
     organizing sessions.
        A Bronx church is prohibited from renting a public 
     school to hold worship services even though other community 
     groups are allowed.
        A federal court forbids a fourth grader from 
     distributing religious literature at his public school.
       Time magazine commented several years back on this current 
     state of affairs--the bitter fruit, I believe, of the Supreme 
     Court's 1962-63 school prayer decisions:
       In this nation of spiritual paradoxes, it is legal to hang 
     a picture in a public exhibit of a crucifix emerged in urine, 
     or to utter virtually any conceivable blasphemy in a public 
     place; it is not legal, the federal courts have ruled, to 
     mention God reverently in a classroom, on a football field or 
     at a commencement ceremony as part of a public prayer.
       Religious freedom is the cornerstone of all the other 
     freedoms we enjoy. Without it, our other freedoms are 
     likewise open to attack. The idea that freedom is granted by 
     God, not the state, and that religion--the duty man owes to 
     God--is outside the jurisdiction of government, acts as a 
     powerful safeguard against the everpresent impulse of 
     government to encroach on the people's liberty. For that 
     reason this amendment is not merely a concern of religious 
     people, but of all Americans who value freedom.
       It is long past time for Congress to address this issue. 
     Public opinion polls over the past 30 years indicate 
     overwhelming support for a constitutional amendment such as 
     you are introducing. I applaud you for your leadership in 
     this cause and pledge my support to help win passage.
           Sincerely,
                                                 D. James Kennedy,
                                                             Ph.D.


     
                                  ____
                                            Catholic Alliance,

                                                   April 23, 1998.
     Hon. Ernest Istook,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Istook: Thank you for your sponsorship of 
     the Religious Freedom Amendment. Catholic Alliance 
     wholeheartedly supports passage of your bill.
       Our nation's courts have rewritten the Constitution to 
     governmentally institutionalize secularism. The founding 
     fathers intended for all Americans to be able to exercise 
     their religious beliefs openly without fear of government 
     retribution. The founders prohibited the promotion of one 
     religion over another, not the promotion of religious belief. 
     The courts have created a world where school teachers can 
     wear Black Sabbath t-shirts in school but cannot publicly 
     pray the rosary. Students can display ``Legalize Marijuana'' 
     badges but not scapulars. Saying grace over a teacher's own 
     meal, if accompanied by the sign of the cross, can be a 
     disciplinary offense.
       We are compelled by the courts failure to rectify their 
     errors to seek the Religious Freedom Amendment. The RFA does 
     not require the schools or any public institution to 
     incorporate or regulate religious expression. The RFA merely 
     prohibits public institutions from suppressing individuals 
     religious expression. The RFA clears the way for the full 
     involvement of faith based institutions in solving the social 
     ills of our times.
       Thank you for your leadership.
           Sincerely,
                                         Deacon Keith A. Fournier,
                                                        President.


     
                                  ____
      Focus on the Family Endorses ``Religious Freedom Amendment''

       Colorado Springs--Today Dr. James C. Dobson, president of 
     Focus on the Family, joined many other national pro-family 
     and religious liberty organizations to endorse the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment, sponsored by Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla). 
     His statement was released this morning at a Capitol Hill 
     news conference:
       ``Focus on the Family strongly supports the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment to secure the protection of religious 
     freedom for all Americans. We believe in a vision for a just 
     society that protects religious liberties for people of all 
     faiths. This constitutional amendment will make that vision a 
     reality and is long overdue.
       ``We at Focus on the Family receive 250,000 letters and 
     phone calls each month. We hear all too often from citizens--
     especially children--who have had their First Amendment 
     religious freedoms trampled upon. The Religious Freedom 
     Amendment will reinforce Americans' First Amendment guarantee 
     of religious liberty and will specifically protect voluntary, 
     student-initiated prayer in public schools.
       ``Whether its expelling expressions of Christmas from 
     public schools or public parks, outlawing benedictions or 
     censoring student speeches at high school graduations, or 
     punishing a fourth grade boy for praying over his lunch in a 
     public school cafeteria, liberal judges and misguided school 
     administrators have perverted Thomas Jefferson's meaning of 
     the `wall of separation between church and state.'
       ``The U.S. Supreme Court's 1962 prohibition of school 
     prayer unfortunately set in motion an intense effort by the 
     judiciary to eliminate all evidences of religious expression 
     for public life. What we have seen over the last thirty years 
     from the courts is not religious neutrality, but rather what 
     Justice Potter Stewart called a `religion of secularism.' It 
     is time for the Congress to remedy this abuse of the people's 
     constitutional liberties by passing the Religious Freedom 
     Amendment.
       ``We urge the American people to call and write their 
     congressmen and senators to assure this amendment's 
     passage.''
       Founded in 1977 by James C. Dobson, Ph.D., Focus on the 
     Family is a nonprofit Christian organization dedicated to the 
     preservation of the home. Focus on the Family has a monthly 
     mailing list of over 2 million and a daily radio broadcast 
     heard by 3-5 million each week in the United States.


                             Fellowship of Christian Athletes,

                                                     May 21, 1998.
       Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of the Fellowship of 
     Christian Athletes, I want

[[Page E1058]]

     to voice our support for the Religious Freedom Amendment (HJR 
     78), and urge all Members of Congress to vote for this vital 
     constitutional amendment.
       The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) has almost 8,000 
     Huddles (chapters) in schools all across America. Not only do 
     we seek to motivate young athletes to find a better way of 
     playing the game of life, but FCA leads the outreach to 
     students all across America to avoid the temptations of 
     alcohol and illegal drugs. There is only ``One Way 2 Play--
     Drug Free!''
       Our outreach is based on a commitment grounded by faith in 
     Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we must overcome hurdles and 
     barriers that are placed in our path, but which are not 
     applied to some other student clubs and organizations in 
     public schools. By protecting the right to pray at school, 
     and to recognize religious traditions, heritage and beliefs, 
     the Religious Freedom Amendment will remove the 
     discrimination against faith-based student groups, and 
     maintain the protections against unfounded fear that prayer 
     or any other religious activity would be compulsory. This 
     will also allow the students to attend the Huddle meetings at 
     school and not have to miss, due to transportation problems 
     to off campus sites at night.
       The Fellowship of Christian Athletes urges all Members of 
     Congress to support the Religious Freedom Amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Dr. Dal Shealy,
                                                    President/CEO.


     
                                  ____
                                             Toward Tradition,

                                                   March 18, 1997.
     Hon. Ernest Istook, Jr.,
     Washington, DC
       Dear Congressman Istook: Firstly, let me congratulate you 
     on the remarkable progress you have made on the Religious 
     Liberties Amendment. I feel honored to have been able to 
     support you in this milestone.
       I heartily endorse the proposed language for the Religious 
     Freedom Amendment. I want to stress as a Jew how proud and 
     privileged I feel to live in a country whose leaders like 
     yourself are eager for these hallowed words to become law. It 
     is precisely the commitment to God and the devotion to prayer 
     that have made the United States of America the most tranquil 
     and gracious home that the Jewish people have enjoyed during 
     that past 2,000 years. May God bless you and your work.
       Do let me know if there is anything at all I can do to be 
     of assistance to you in the crucial work of assuring the 
     religious right of all Americans, regardless of faith.
           Sincerely your friend,
                                               Rabbi Daniel Lapin,
                                                        President.


     
                                  ____
                 American Conference of Jews and Blacks

       Dear Congressman: After viewing the Religious Freedom 
     Amendment and speaking with Congressman Istook I fully 
     endorse the Amendment's passage. As you are well aware, 
     teachers and bureaucrats in today's schools are so fearful 
     and confused when it comes to general statements about 
     religion that even the most cursory and innocuous remark by a 
     school child regarding a routine religious activity is 
     censored. This goes beyond separation of Church and State 
     into separation of state from common sense.
       The bedrock of the American public school system is local 
     control. If a local district chooses to allow a minute toward 
     acknowledging God and His blessings, I should think that 
     would fall within the age-old classic Jewish tradition to 
     ``Acknowledge the Presence of God in our midst.'' This is not 
     done to proselytize but simply acknowledge the Creator we all 
     share.
       My parents and all of their Jewish peers in the previous 
     generation spent each morning during their public school 
     years doing so; indeed benefiting from the classic wisdom and 
     guidance offered, for example, by Psalms.
       Those uncomfortable with the notion of God--Jew or non-
     Jew--will naturally be uncomfortable with such public 
     acknowledgments. Should we, then, censor and ban everything 
     in society that some person finds irritating? Instead of 
     censorship, I would expect some elementary graciousness and 
     generosity of spirit from those who seem bothered. Truly, 
     they are not, in any way, jeopardized. Far more ennobling 
     than stilling the heartfelt expression of others would be to 
     exhibit respect and tolerance for others, as well as the 
     ideal of live-and-let-live.
       Perhaps on one occasion, somewhere in some district, a 
     Jewish child may hear the name Jesus uttered. So what! Is 
     Judaism so tenuous that it crumbles when simply hearing about 
     other people's beliefs? How ironic that those who for their 
     children espouse openness to all sorts of other ideas, become 
     insecure in this matter. The remedy for such insecurity is 
     not to stop believers from expressing thanks to God, nor to 
     eradicate their freedoms. It is, rather, to overcome 
     manufactured insecurities, strengthen the Jewish education of 
     their own children and, once and for all, begin believing in 
     the general innate fairness of the American people.
           Sincerely,
                                                Rabbi Aryeh Spero,
                                                        President.


     
                                  ____
                      Religious Freedom Amendment

       The Religious Freedom Amendment, a proposed constitutional 
     amendment to protect religious freedom, is supported by 
     religious organizations and others across America, with over 
     150 House cosponsors, including the House leadership.


                   Endorsing Groups and Organizations

       American Conference of Jews and Blacks, American Family 
     Association, Americans for Voluntary School Prayer, American 
     Muslim Council, Americas Prayer Network, Catholic Alliance, 
     Christian Action Network, Christian Coalition, Christian 
     Voice, Citizens for Excellence in Education, Coral Ridge 
     Ministries (Presbyterian), Concerned Women for America, 
     Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, Family Research 
     Council, Focus on the Family, Free Congress Foundation, and 
     Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship.
       General Council of the Assemblies of God, International 
     Pentecostal Church of Christ, Jewish Union, National Clergy 
     Council, National Baptist Convention USA, Religious Freedom 
     Coalition (William Murray), Religious Roundtable, Salvation 
     Army, Southern Baptist Convention, Toward Tradition (Jewish 
     Rabbinical Group), Traditional Values Coalition, Trinity 
     Global, U.S. Family Network, Wall Builders, Youth for Christ, 
     and National Association of Evangelicals which represents the 
     following groups:
       Advent Christian General Conference, Assemblies of God, 
     Baptist General Conference, Brethren Church, Brethren in 
     Christ Church, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Christian 
     Catholic Church, Christian Church of North America, Christian 
     Reformed Church in North America, Christian Union, Church of 
     God, Church of God, Mountain Assembly, Church of the 
     Nazarene, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Churches 
     of Christ in Christian Union, Congregational Holiness Church, 
     Evangelical Church of North America, Evangelical 
     Congregational Church, Evangelical Church of America, 
     Evangelical Friends International of North America, 
     Evangelical Mennonite Church, Evangelical Presbyterian 
     Church, Evangelical Missionary Fellowship; and Fellowship of 
     Evangelical Bible Churches.
       Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, Free 
     Methodist Church of North America, General Association of 
     General Baptists, International Church of the Foursquare 
     Gospel, International Pentecostal Church of Christ, 
     International Pentecostal Holiness Church, Mennonite Brethren 
     Churches, Midwest Congregational Christian Fellowship, 
     Missionary Church, Inc., Open Bible Standard Churches, 
     Pentecostal Church of God, Pentecostal Free Will Baptist 
     Church, Inc., Presbyterian Church in America, Primitive 
     Methodist Church USA, Reformed Episcopal Church, Reformed 
     Presbyterian Church of North America, Salvation Army, Synod 
     of Mid America, Wesleyan Church and Worldwide Church of God.

     

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