September 21, 2016

Dear Mr. President,

Laws have been passed that have not allowed Christians to freely practice their religion, so an issues to consider is to allow Christians to voice their opinion without being persecuted or oppressed for them. In 2015 a law was passed that same sex couples are allowed to get married and have a marriage license. Also in 1973 a law was passed that women being allowed to get an abortion is a right to privacy by the Due Process Clause. This issues violates the first amendment of the United States’ Constitution. The first amendment states “[…] prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech […]”. This is saying that the government cannot make and enforce a religion. Also that people are free to practice their religion and also state their opinions without having any problems. This problem is not only happening the United States it is happening all over the world. Changing this issues here can contribute to stop this persecution worldwide.

I have personally been involved with this persecution. I am a Christian and my faith has very strong stands on sensitive issues in this country. I feel like I am not allowed to say that I do not support the LQBT right or that I do not support abortion without being criticized. For example, one time in school we were discussing abortion and gay marriage rights. I said I did not support gay marriages or abortion. My classmates then stated that for my opinion I was closed minded and discriminating against people. I have grown up in the United States where I am told I am free to practice my religion and voice my opinion but, when I do state what I believe, I am told that I should not say that because it offends some people. I am offended by something I see but if I speak up about them I am discriminating against other people’s right. This is my personal experience but, there is also some research that I did about this subject.

New York Times Magazine stated “The religious resisters say, ’It doesn’t matter if you can have the wedding you want, because you shouldn’t be getting married anyway,’ Laycook said over the phone last week. The gay rights people answer, ‘It doesn’t matter if you violate your conscience, because you’re just talking to your imaginary friend.’” Kim Davis was arrested for denying six marriage license. She said “I never imagined a day like this would come, where I would be asked to violate a central teaching of the scripture […] would violate my conscience.” The Federal Marriage Amendment is a prosed amendment in the constitution saying that marriage is between one man and one woman.

A way to solve this problem is not by changing the laws. People can marry whoever they want but, allow Christians to deny LGBT community service because it violates our conscious. Women can be allowed to abort but, allow Christians to not have to perform this because to them it is murder. Christian children should be allowed to proudly state their believes and to not be told to not talk about it because it offends people. There are ways to allow everyone to live peacefully without persecution of one group or another.

This country was founded on freedom of religion and speech. Then why do Christian have to hide what they believe from everyone because it offends people? The thing people ignore is that what the LGBT community does and abortions offend Christians. Why are they allowed to speak up and Christians cannot? Why is it that Christians are losing freedom of religion and other religions are not losing that right? Why is this country bending the constitution to make some people happy and others not? Why can the LGBT community be loud and proud and Christians shunned? I hope you see that there are ways to make everyone or the majority of the people happy or do you want people to live in a country that claims to have freedom of religion and people don’t really have freedom religion?

Sincerely

Laura