You’re in a conversation about freedom, but quickly get the sense that not everyone in the conversation is using the word in the same way. You’re both using the word “freedom” but mean completely different things by it. What would you say? Definitions matter. For a good conversation to even be possible, …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Religious ‘freedom’ is bad because it gives cover for violent religious extremists.” What would you say? Some people think that religious liberty allows religious groups to do anything they want to do. So, extremist groups are able to use religious freedom as a license to …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Religion has been used to justify all kinds of bad things, like war and slavery. Claiming religious freedom is just about protecting privilege.” What would you say? Sometimes people think that standing up for religious freedom is really about clinging to power and privilege. They …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Standing up for religious liberty is bad for Christian witness. After all, aren’t Christians supposed to turn the other cheek?” What would you say? Sometimes people think that Christians who advocate for religious liberty do so at the cost of their Christian witness. They assume that defending religious …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “The Bible we have now is not the same as what was originally written. It’s been corrupted over time.” What would you say? How has the Bible was passed down? Has it evolved over time? No. The next time someone says, “the Bible we have now is not …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Religious people shouldn’t be allowed to impose their beliefs on others. Keep your faith between you and your God.” What would you say? Sometimes, people think that as long as the government doesn’t regulate what someone says or does inside a church building, they are respecting religious freedom. …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Religious freedom is just an excuse for discrimination.” What would you say? Often, people assume that those who advocate for religious freedom really just want to be avoid the nondiscrimination laws that apply to everyone else. They assume that “religious freedom” is a way to make the rest …
You’re in a conversation and someone asks, “Who chose which books should be in the Bible? And what about the books that were left out?” What would you say? The Bible is a collection of many different writings that were written at different points in history. So how did we get this particular set of …
You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Religion is full of hypocrites. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.” What would you say? Some people claim that practicing religion and having a relationship with Jesus are opposites. They think of religion as legalistic, hypocritical, and judgmental. Jesus on the other hand was loving and forgiving …
You’re in a conversation about faith, and someone says to you, “You can believe whatever you want, but I’m not religious.” What would you say? When people say they aren’t religious, some mean that they don’t believe in God. For others it means they aren’t part of an organized religious community. But does this mean …
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