Country gives freedom to choose religion

Ron Channell, pastor, Family Church of Lawrence, 5150 Clinton Parkway:

Independence Day represents the foundation of our freedom to worship our Lord. Today, 52 countries in the world restrict the gospel message, not allowing the Holy Bible in their countries. Our founding fathers did not take this blessing for granted. Nor should we.

Our Declaration of Independence clearly identifies God as our lawmaker, creator, supreme judge and protector. A tour through Washington would reiterate the biblical foundation on which we stand.

The Washington Monument, Capitol, Supreme Court, Library of Congress (just to name a few) are filled with biblical imagery and Scriptures.

We live in the greatest country in the world. It allows us to celebrate our religious freedoms.

America doesn’t force religion on anyone — just as Christ doesn’t force his amazing love on anyone. It’s a personal choice.

What a great country we live in, and what a great God who supplied it. Choose him today!

— Send e-mail to Ron Channell at ronchannell@gmail.com.

Religious freedom cause for celebration

Doug Heacock, contemporary worship leader, Lawrence Free Methodist Church, 3001 Lawrence Ave.:

All Americans have good reason to celebrate Independence Day.

The Declaration of Independence set the stage for the Bill of Rights some years later, the First Amendment to which both prohibits our government from establishing an official state religion and protects the rights of citizens to practice their religion as they choose.

While the meanings of the “religion” clauses in the First Amendment have been debated and, at times, twisted by some into a view that politics and religion should never intersect, we still enjoy religious freedom in our nation, and it is a freedom that should never be taken for granted, because there are still places in our world where these freedoms do not exist officially and where there is still religious persecution.

We who believe that God is real should definitely celebrate our Independence Day, and express our gratitude to God, to those who gave their lives to secure our freedom and to those who have risked and given their lives to protect those freedoms.

— Send e-mail to Doug Heacock at doug.heacock@gmail.com.