Trump’s Draft “Religious Liberty Report” Is About Politicizing Faith, Not Upholding Religious Freedom for All

Today, the Trump administration released a draft version of its anticipated “Religious Liberty Commission” (RLC) report. The report has been repeatedly delayed due to the ongoing lawsuit against the commission filed by Interfaith Alliance and other diverse faith groups, which allege that the commission’s creation and composition are illegal and discriminatory, failing to reflect diverse religious viewpoints. 

Last week, the Center for American Progress, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance, and the American Humanist Association preemptively countered the RLC’s report by launching “Religious Liberty for All: Celebrating This Founding Freedom at America 250,” a new report featuring 20 prominent voices, including elected officials and faith leaders, on what religious liberty means in their lives and for the nation. That report makes the case for a vision of religious liberty rooted in dignity and the Constitution.

Reverend Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement in response to the draft RLC report: 

“This draft report – buried on a Friday afternoon, and released too late to be finalized by the White House’s own July 4 deadline – reflects the narrow, Christian nationalist worldview of the illegitimate commission, made up entirely of ideologically aligned Christians and one Orthodox Jew. A betrayal of the original intention of the promise of religious freedom guaranteed in the First Amendment, the report and the commission behind it fail to represent and uplift the importance of religious diversity and tolerance for all faiths in our country - not just a special, chosen few. The report is a wishlist of divisive, unpopular ideas far-right religious groups have pushed for years like allowing tax-exempt houses of worship to engage in partisan politicking and gutting our public education system through expanded private school vouchers. This partisan report is unbefitting of marking a milestone of American democracy. 

In 224 pages, the RLC couldn’t bring itself to acknowledge the growing threat of Islamophobia — perhaps because the President and his allies are waging a coordinated attack on Americans who are Muslim. Nor does the Commission mention the President’s own attacks on the pope, Bishop Budde, or other prominent religious leaders who have dared to speak out about his administration’s inhumane policies. 

Interfaith Alliance, along with Hindus for Human Rights, Muslims for Progressive Values and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, launched a lawsuit against this Commission because religious freedom only for some is religious freedom for none. The government has no right to pick and choose which religious beliefs to promote, and which to marginalize. Our suit has successfully pushed back and delayed the release of this biased, politicized draft report. During the litigation, the DOJ changed course and said it would allow  public comments to be filed, which we will soon be doing. 

Our 250th anniversary is an occasion to celebrate our history of religious diversity and tolerance – yet for the Trump administration it’s just another opportunity to wield faith as a weapon to advance its own politicized agenda. While they continue to bully and target faith leaders and communities that don’t share their ideology, the majority of people of faith in our country will keep fighting for a diverse multi-faith democracy rooted in equal rights and respect for all Americans.”

CONTACT:
Ben DePasquale, West End Strategy Team, [email protected], 717-779-4660