Deep Convictions: A Look At Religious Liberty

Friday, March 1, 2019

Deep Convictions: A LookAtRel (NAPSA)—What would you do if your most strongly held beliefs were challenged by the government, placing yourlivelihood, your way oflife and even yourfreedom at risk? You may find inspiration for your answerin a new bookaboutfour Americans—a priest, an atheist, a Native ‘American and a baker—who put it all ip En oe NVICTI onthe line for their creeds. The Book “Deep Conviction: True Stories of Ordinary Americans Fighting for the Freedom to Live Their Beliefs” (Shadow Mountain) is by professor and law- yer Steven T. Collis. An advocate and a scholar, he believesreligious freedomis“a fundamentalliberty protecting all individualsliving in this country, allowing us to exist in relative peace with one another” This peace, he adds, is uniquein history and exceptional even in the world today. Collis notes,“Religion is not whatleads us to battle,itthe lack ofreligious liberty” The book offers insights into reli- Ordinary Americans the Freedom to Live Th ordinary Americans who risked their has beencalled a fasci reputations to preserve and live their thought-provoking new book. gious liberty throughthestories of four personalbeliefs. Although vastly differ- ent in manyways,they share suchqualities as conviction and determination. ‘The Courageous Four In 1813, a Catholic priest in New York City faced prison after a grand jury subpoenaed him for refusing to divulge the identity of a jewelry thief whoadmitted to the crime during the sacramentofconfession. Churchafter the state of Oregon had declareditillegal. + And,finally,in 2017, a Christian baker and a gay couple tooktheir cases to the United States Supreme Courtafter the baker declined to create a custom weddingcake tocelebrate the couple's same-sex marriage, fearing it would United States Supreme Court would decidehisfate. violate his duty to God. Written with the pace of a novel, Collis’ book brings these storiestolife in a waythatreflects their universality and the broadprinciples they represent. Hestresses how thenotionofreligious freedomforall, truly cherished, allows justice andprotection for everyone,reli- into the highest courtof the nation to fight for the right to practice the central sacramentofthe Native American Forfurtherfacts andto get the book, visit www.ShadowMountain.com. In 1959, an atheist in Maryland was forcedto standupforhis beliefs when the state required him to sign an oath that said he believed in God before he could workas a notary public, The In 1989, a KlamathIndian man walked gious or not. Learn More

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