Now that the presidential election is behind us, it might be good to revisit a speech given by Joseph Lieberman at the University of Notre Dame. While reading some of the text, I had to remind myself that this wasn't a speech given by Bill Bennett or Gary Bauer.
"We are still arguably the most religiously observant people on earth, and share a near universal belief in God. But you wouldn't know it from national public life today. The line between church and state is an important one and has always been hard for us to draw, but in recent years we have gone far beyond what the Framers ever imagined in separating the two. So much so that we have practically banished religious values and religious institutions from the public square and constructed a discomfort zone for even discussing our faith in public settings--ironically making religion one of the few remaining socially acceptable targets of intolerance."
These are strong words that would have been met with strong criticism if they had been spoken by just about anyone except Joseph Lieberman. Can you imagine the reaction to such a speech by Pat Robertson or Gary Bauer? And that is why I believe we should encourage Joseph Lieberman to continue speaking out. He can speak the truth without risking being branded as just another shrill voice of the religious right.
Here is a prominent national figure reminding us "that the Constitution promises freedom of religion, not from religion." And it's even more refreshing to hear these comments from a leader in the Democratic party. We need to hear more from him on this vital issue, and I wish him well in this endeavor.
I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.