[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Pages 33731-33732]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Garrett for 
this privilege of this time.
  Madam Speaker, I believe the cornerstone of all human freedom is that 
of religious freedom. Indeed, a small separatist church congregation in 
England possessed a desire so strong to practice their faith freely 
that it compelled them to cross the ocean in a little wooden ship 
called the Mayflower.
  While theirs was a quest to be able to practice the faith of 
Christianity, a central tenet of their Christian faith was the belief 
that all human beings were given the right by God to embrace whatever 
religious conviction they truly held in their hearts, and that human 
beings should protect that right for each other.
  Madam Speaker, today we considered and passed H. Res. 847, 
``recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.'' Of 
course, Madam Speaker, there will be those who will criticize any 
effort to recognize a particular faith or holiday. However, Madam 
Speaker, aside from the debatable aspects of this resolution, or any 
other, those who are even slightly acquainted with history know that 
the Bible, the founding document of the Christian faith, was the 
essential rationale and substance that inspired our Declaration of 
Independence and was, further, the bedrock foundational document of the 
Western world.
  The objective of this resolution is to honor those Judeo-Christian 
principles that have shaped American history and policy since the 
founding of our Nation and that have informed and influenced our ideas 
of justice and equality 7 years into the 21st century. Indeed,

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Madam Speaker, it was the Christian principles hailed in this 
resolution that led our country to be the very first beacon of 
religious freedom in the history of the world and, further, to finally 
reject the practice of human slavery that had plagued civilization 
across the world for nearly 7,000 years.
  Madam Speaker, I believe that it would be wrong for this body to ever 
pass any law that would compel or forbid any person in this Nation or 
any other nation to accept or reject any article of faith, so long as 
they did not deprive their fellow Americans or human beings of those 
same constitutional rights. However, in recognizing the influence of 
Christianity upon Western civilization, we are also commending the 
unshakable commitment of Christian principles, the very ones that 
compelled our Founding Fathers to resolutely declare that all men are 
created equal by God himself, and that because they are created equal, 
they are also created free, Madam Speaker, and that includes being free 
to embrace the religion of their own conviction.
  Religious freedom is a central component of the Christian faith this 
resolution references. Indeed, the message of the one born on Christmas 
Day was from a savior who came to offer every member of the human 
family ultimate and eternal freedom, even at the cost of his own life.
  Madam Speaker, as we enjoy our religious freedom in this season of 
peace, may we not forget that at this very moment American men and 
women in uniform are fighting a battle across the world so that all 
Americans might continue to freely exercise their faith, and that that 
right might ultimately some day be extended to all of mankind. 
President Roosevelt probably said it best, Madam Speaker. He said in 
his Christmas Eve Nation message to the Nation, December 24, 1941, 
``Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity 
and brotherhood of man, which Christmas Day signifies more than any 
other day or any other symbol. Against enemies who preach the 
principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love 
and in God's care for us and all men everywhere.''
  So, Madam Speaker, with those feelings in mind and with love in my 
heart for people of every faith, let me here on this floor exercise my 
own religious freedom and wish you and everyone else under the sound of 
my voice a happy, holy, and merry Christmas.

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