History is marred with evidence of insecure human nature exploiting personal power to coerce, control, torture, enslave, imprison and even execute other human lives for self-centered power trips. Intolerance rears its ugly head tragically in matters of personal conscience and religious faith. Thousands of stand up dissenters from majoritarian demands, cherishing minority views, have met martyr's deaths.
William Lloyd Garrison reminded listeners that true Christianity does not rely for its safety and prosperity "on the rack or the stake, the dungeon or the gibbet, unjust proscription or brutal supremacy." Those fortunate enough to breathe freedom's heady air in century twenty-one can take no comfort in pigeon-holing this reality in medieval times or ancient history.
Coerced religion contradicts the religion of the heart taught by Christ and embraced by true believers. Walking into a church does no more make you a Christian than walking into a garage makes you a car.
When Dateline: Sunday, U.S.A. appeared first in 1967, Sunday laws had just captured the attention of the United States Supreme Court. Since then, the issue has receded from front page news but still lingers in the hearts and minds of many well-meaning citizens who would like to harness government power to mandate all citizens to march in lock step with majoritarian interpretations of matters of conscience---even if coerced.
