This is a poster for war bonds from World War II, published by the US government and painted by Norman Rockwell. In case you can’t make it out, the tagline says, “Save Freedom of Worship: Each according to the dictates of his own conscience.” Among others, one of the people depicted is praying a Rosary.
If the US Treasury had commissioned this poster today, it wouldn’t even get out the door before the ACLU had filed a lawsuit and the mainstream media would be bemoaning the rise of a right-wing theocracy and the breaking of the long-held separation of church and state. Nevermind that religion in the public square has never been as marginalized and attacked as it is now.
Also notice that when our battle was against fascism, the people understood that one of the features of our republic that was most endangered was religious freedom. But should anyone ever point out that Islamofascism is an even greater danger to that freedom, and criticism from all sides, including the White House, would rain down upon them.
But the fact is that, despite the winds of political correctness, our freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our conscience is under attack from all sides, not just from Muslim extremists, but also radical secularists, as we see in Canada. It’s important that we not get complacent about our freedom to worship. The new wind is blowing and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that persecution and oppression are coming.
Image Credit
- warbonds.jpg: Public domain | Public domain
