Our liberal society has grown and flourished on a bedrock of deeply held religious convictions. Yet, this bedrock is crumbling. Religious leaders and believers are increasingly finding themselves under considerable censure. Ideas that have been kept as demonstrable truths are increasingly being branded as ‘misinformation’, ‘hate speech,’ or ‘bigotry’. Once-cherished convictions are increasingly becoming socially condemnable.
Religious leaders must be free to preach, and to speak openly about their faith in their communities. Individuals must be free to seek and receive teachings from religious leaders. Everyone, whatever their beliefs, must be free to express, question, and challenge, religious ideas, without fear of penalty or punishment.
And not just for the religiously inclined. Globally, religiously free societies are less prone to experience the violence that can emerge when the right to question and challenge religious ideas is suppressed. Government interference and unknowledgeable judges must not contravene these conversations.
By standing up for your right to profess and question the deepest convictions that ground us, you can lead the way to a flourishing and dynamic culture of open exchange about life’s most meaningful questions.
If you value religious expression as a cornerstone of our culture, and the vital role of free speech in animating it, the Free Speech Union is here for you.
It won’t be easy. But by embracing free speech as the vitalising element of free religious expression, you can lead the way back to a social consciousness that embraces religious freedom as an essential.
Our citizens need to know that they can rely on their religious leaders to advocate for their rights to hear, express and debate matters of faith. That starts with you.
We understand what it feels like to be alienated from your communities because of your views. You need to be able to speak to, and advocate for, your congregations, without fear of censure or retribution.
The Free Speech Union stands with you in defending your right to freely express religious ideas.
Join a dynamic community of multi-faith leaders who value freedom of religious expression as the vital ingredient of an open society – both for themselves, and the congregates they serve.