Interview With Nathan Shackelford
What if we fostered a culture of curiosity about others’ religious beliefs, rather than judgment? In the last episode of Know Why’s series on political engagement, Liberty interviews Nathan Shackelford of First Liberty Institute. Nathan shares stories of religious discrimination happening today in the United States—from synagogues being rejected by cities, to pastors being criminally charged for offering shelter to the homeless, and more. Listen to learn how you can help defend religious freedom for all.
Everyone Should Care
Nathan Shackelford is the Manager of F3, a new initiative from legal firm First Liberty Institute. F3 equips young adults to stand up for religious freedom rights. He told Know Why that religious freedom is something everyone should care about, regardless of their political stance. “You should want the ability to express your faith without fear of government reprisal, no matter which side you’re on,” he said.
While many members of Gen Z in the U.S. support certain subtle expressions of religion, a majority do not support bolder expressions of faith, such as preaching in public or holding faith-based, counter-cultural opinions. But Nathan argues you can’t have one kind of expression of faith without the other.
“If you’re a person of faith, you shouldn’t have to turn off half of yourself when you’re in public,” he told Know Why.
Free to Express Your Faith
That’s what many of First Liberty’s legal cases center on—protecting Americans’ right to freely express their religious beliefs in public without fear of retribution from government or employers. Several of First Liberty’s U.S. Supreme Court wins have secured precedents that expand rights for people of all faiths, Nathan told Know Why.
Nathan shackelford
“Every person of faith has to have the right to express their faith equally.”
“Every person of faith has to have the right to express their faith equally,” he said. “If the First Amendment only applies to Christians but doesn’t apply to every other group, then the law is being selective in what it’s covering.”
Fostering Openness
Nathan believes the impulse to want people of faith to hide their beliefs comes from a loss of openness and friendly debate in American culture. He thinks diverse expressions of faith should invite curiosity and conversation, rather than make people uncomfortable.
While some may doubt that religious discrimination is truly a problem in the United States, First Liberty Institute’s case list proves otherwise. Nathan summarizes a few ongoing and recent cases, including one involving a pastor who is being targeted by his city government for attempting to house the homeless. Another example involves a synagogue told by city officials that their kind were not wanted.
Defending religious freedom in America also has an impact on religious minorities around the world who are more harshly persecuted, Nathan explained. Many religious non-profits who offer global aid to the persecuted are based in the U.S. (and religious believers are most likely to give to charity). If religious organizations and individuals are not able to operate freely, people around the world suffer.
More Resources
To learn more about your religious freedom rights and how you can become involved in defending others’ religious freedom, explore the links below.