POMPEO: Reflecting on America's Foundational Freedoms

I’ve always found Independence Day to be as much a time for reflection and gratitude as for celebration. I think of incredible events that not only made our founding possible but also enabled America to withstand the odds stacked against us and build the freest, most powerful nation on Earth. I consider the brave men and women who made us – and kept us – free, from the heroes of the Revolutionary War to the brave servicemen deployed around the world today. As I ponder all this, I can only conclude that God has truly blessed the United States of America.

Unfortunately, there are those who want to tear down the remarkable constitutional order that our Founders built, including the First Amendment protections that are central to our country’s survival as a free nation. And for some, the core First Amendment right to freedom of religion has been contorted to mean that God has no place in the public square.

Religious freedom is the bedrock of what has made this country great. By forbidding the government from dictating one’s religious affiliation, the Framers explicitly rejected the concept of an established church and instantiated the notion that religion must always be a matter of individual conscience.

Despite what secular elites would have you think, it was precisely because of our Judeo-Christian foundation that we could build a system where people have that choice to worship (or not) as they see fit. The moral framework that recognizes human dignity and free will – that’s what made religious liberty possible in the first place, and it’s what made it possible for our revolution to succeed.

Consider the lessons of history. The French Revolution – which unfolded just a few years after our own – offers a perfect counterexample of our own experience. France’s revolutionaries soon gave way to the tyranny of the mob thanks to their utopian aspirations and violent rejection of religion. In contrast, our Founders held to the Judeo-Christian understanding of man’s fallen nature and sought to create a system of ordered liberty that would check our worst impulses while maximizing our ability to pursue what is good.

Faith in God continues to reinforce this sense of humility and self-awareness – protecting our constitutional order by reminding us of our limitations. When we acknowledge the existence of a power bigger than ourselves, we’re less likely to put our faith in false gods – whether they be absolute monarchs or communist dictators.

America’s freedom of religion has enabled the flourishing of pluralism and multiple faith communities – becoming the backbone of our civic life. As the French political philosopher and great observer of the United States Alexis de Tocqueville remarked, “In America religion is the road to knowledge, and the observance of the divine laws leads man to civil freedom.” He saw that the ability of our young Republic to resist the lure of an overbearing government or the temptations of mob rule was tied to our religious sensibilities and that it encouraged a flowering of civic virtue.

This understanding is one of the reasons that freedom of religion in the U.S. and around the world has always been a concern for so many Americans – and it’s why I made religious freedom a key priority during my time as the 70th Secretary of State. From the Muslim Uyghurs in Western China to the Catholic clergy in Nicaragua, religious persecution is a reality for millions around the world and they need our support. It’s why I established the Commission on Unalienable Rights to reaffirm the Founders’ brilliance in articulating the rights given by God that no government should ever impede. Those are the anchor and example for protecting human rights around the world: life, liberty – including religious liberty – and the pursuit of happiness.

Here at home, we’re seeing encouraging developments in the fight to protect our First Amendment rights. Last week, a multi-faith coalition of parents – joined by the ACLJ in an amicus brief – secured a major victory when the Supreme Court affirmed their right to withdraw their children from classes teaching objectionable materials. But we cannot afford to become complacent – either at home or abroad.

As we prepare to celebrate our 250th year of independence next July, we must reaffirm the founding principles that made our great nation possible. God has blessed America throughout our history; may He continue to do so, on Independence Day and every day.

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