Religious Freedom for All Faiths and People (2024)

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Russell M. Nelson

“Today is World Freedom Day, which commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a day to remember the bravery of valiant men and women who fought, and continue to fight, for freedom throughout the world.

“One such brave couple was Olga and Jirí Snederfler, who provided leadership and support to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the former Czechoslovakia despite great personal risk and sacrifice. I was assigned to help the Church gain official recognition in that country, and it simply would not have been possible without the Snederflers’ courage and faith to follow the Savior.

“With their help as Czech citizens, we were able to secure meetings with government officials and petition for recognition so that our members in that country could worship openly, instead of in secret. I will never forget one pivotal meeting when Josef Hromadka, the new deputy prime minister of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, promised us that this recognition would come.

“That same day, we traveled to Mount Karlstein, where Elder JohnA. Widtsoe had dedicated the country for the preaching of the gospel on July 24, 1929. There, I offered a prayer of gratitude for the Lord’s intervention on behalf of the Saints in Czechoslovakia. As I think about Olga and Jirí Snederfler, I am reminded that much of the bravery in the world goes largely unseen and that the Lord often uses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible.”

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Dallin H. Oaks

“Religious liberty faces serious challenges around the world and demands unity among denominations to face these challenges. I provided four suggestions that will help us create this unity:

1. Recognize that we need each other and are all subject to law

2. Urge religious tolerance

3. Let the world know of the good that religion does

4. Unite and find common ground to defend and promote religious liberty

“When citizens learn to live together with respect—despite important religious differences—they are also more likely to live peacefully with others with whom they have important secular differences. Ultimately, religion strengthens society for all—both for the believer and those of no faith.”

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David A. Bednar

“As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we consider all humankind as brothers and sisters. Jesus Christ teaches that the two great commandments are to love God and love one another.

“Elder Gerrit W. Gong and I recently discussed how Latter-day Saints and Muslims can better understand one another in open, honest, and authentic ways. This includes seeing beyond falsehoods, stereotypes, or generalities.

“As we meet with Muslim leaders across the world, we talk about defending religious freedom. People of faith need to stand together for tolerance and dignity of people of all religious beliefs. Like some Muslims in the United States or elsewhere in the world, Latter-day Saints have felt the effects of persecution and profiling. We join with good people everywhere in condemning such actions.

“On occasion, a few Church members have made false or cruel comments about Muslims. Such bias causes many to overlook the kindness and goodness of the overwhelming majority of all Muslims. Hopefully, greater knowledge and appreciation of one another will help us be more kind and more accurate in what we say and feel about each other.”

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Quentin L. Cook

“I am deeply concerned that the profound blessings that flow from the religious impulse are often seen as antithetical to what is valued most in our society. I have directed some remarks to the blessings that are lost when we are tone-deaf to the music of faith.

“…We must not only protect our ability to profess our own religion, but also protect the right of each religion to administer its own doctrines and laws.

“It is my hope that both by what we teach and by our example, we can help reestablish the profound significance of faith in our society.”

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Quentin L. Cook

“My plea is that all religions work together to defend faith and religious freedom in a manner that protects people of diverse faith as well as those of no faith. Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews, Muslims, Latter-day Saints, and other faiths must be part of a coalition of faiths that succor, act as a sanctuary, and promulgate religious freedom across the world.

“Religious accountability benefits secular society. There are a multitude of good works that religion inspires people of faith to perform on behalf of others. The humanitarian efforts of religious-based organizations can do things beyond what others can do. It is my personal prayer that we can collectively elevate appreciation of faith in and accountability to God as we defend religious freedom.”

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D. Todd Christofferson

“Religious liberty protects not just believers, but everyone. It is the taproot that sustains and nourishes many other fundamental freedoms, values, and social goods. Without strong protections for religious liberty, much of what we treasure about our democratic societies, including human rights and human dignity, will begin to wither and die, like flowers cut from their roots. The fate of many cherished freedoms and of liberal democracy itself turns on the strength of religious freedom.

“I affirm the eternal human dignity of each person as a beloved child of God. I affirm that each one of us has a divine nature and destiny. We are not merely cosmic accidents in a cold and uncaring universe. We are known and loved by an all-knowing and all-loving God.

“I also affirm that each of us has the right to exercise moral agency—the right of choice to live our lives according to the truth as we understand it. Indeed, one of the primary purposes of government is to secure the freedom of all people to exercise moral agency.”

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D. Todd Christofferson

“The freedom of religious people and institutions to function according to their faith and beliefs is fundamental to societal well-being. Religion benefits not only believers but all of society, including nonbelievers.

“Religious conscience encourages the virtues and habits of good citizenship necessary for a free society: honesty, duty, moral self-discipline, sacrifice for family and country, compassion and service toward others, and civic engagement.”

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Ronald A. Rasband

“I’m inspired by all that we share with many religions around the world, especially a commitment to God and charity. True religion prompts us to help those in need. There is no question that the world needs us and our desire to go ‘about doing good,’ with the promise that God will be with us.

“Throughout its history, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has emphasized that protecting all faiths—even small, minority faiths—is critical. When people feel confident that their beliefs will always be protected, they will reach out to others in significant ways. When religion is given the freedom to flourish, believers everywhere perform simple and sometimes heroic acts of service.

“I hope that universal goodness prompted by faith traditions will be honored and admired. May we be grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. The good of religion, the reach of religion, and the heroic acts of love which religion inspires only multiply when we protect religious freedom.”

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Ronald A. Rasband

“Loving your neighbor is not just a good idea, it’s the second great commandment. Your neighbors are your spouse and family, ward members, work colleagues, roommates, those not of our faith, those needing a helping hand, and, frankly, everyone.

“I’m inspired by all that we share with the many religions of the world—especially a commitment to God and charity.

“True religion prompts us to help those in need, which is one reason why protecting all faiths is critical.”

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Dale G. Renlund

“On this anniversary of the death of Joseph Smith, I am grateful for all he did to establish the Church of Christ on the earth. Not only was he intimately involved in the restoration of doctrinal truths to the earth; he also advocated for the rights of the Saints to exercise their religious beliefs.

“He petitioned governments, met with the president of the United States, and was repeatedly jailed because of his faith. Before the presidential election in 1844, he wrote to the five candidates for president to see if any of them would help the Saints recover their properties in Missouri. None would help.

“With encouragement of the leaders of the Church, Joseph Smith declared his candidacy for president. His platform included constitutional reform, prison reform, banking reform, and the abolition of slavery. He was forward-thinking and advocated for the human dignity of all God’s children and their rights of self-determination. He was the first US presidential candidate to be assassinated.

“I admire and love Joseph Smith, who gave his all for the Lord and His Church. His assassination proved the point of his running for president: that religious freedom and self-determination needed to be protected for all.”

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Ulisses Soares

“I was honored to share some thoughts about the transcendence of human dignity at the Worldwide Congress of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Argentina this week.

“I shared that dignity is about knowing who we are as human beings. The search for ultimate meaning, whether as an individual or in community, is a sacred prerogative. As children of a loving Heavenly Father, may we treat one another with the dignity He would have us aspire to.

“Dignity has a divine origin. It is our universal birthright. Everyone possesses dignity simply by being human, regardless of religion, race, gender, or nationality. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that dignity is the ‘foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.’ Therefore, we have the right to life, liberty, security, equal protection of the law, and the freedom of thought, speech, and religion. Rights stem from dignity, and dignity results from rights. Both feed off each other in a legal and cultural symbiosis. We need to see a reflection of ourselves in each other—our dreams, hopes, hurts, and despairs. Otherwise, we become strangers and foreigners. We discover our dignity in relating with others.”