5 quotes from Church leaders for National Religious Freedom Day

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has at all times believed in defending a person’s right to freedom of faith, going back to the early days of the Restoration and the Prophet Joseph Smith.

“I’m just as able to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or an excellent man of every other denomination; for a similar principle which might trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of every other denomination who could also be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves,” Joseph said in a discourse on July 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois.

In one other discourse on April 7, 1844, the Prophet said, “Meddle not with any man for his religion; every government must permit every man to enjoy his religion.”

In newer years, Latter-day Saint leaders have continued to advertise religious liberty as fundamental to societal well-being.

The Church’s eleventh Article of Faith states, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God in response to the dictates of our own conscience, and permit all men the identical privilege, allow them to worship how, where, or what they could.”

In commemoration of National Religious Freedom Day on Jan. 16 within the United States, listed below are five quotes from Church leaders on religious freedom and why it matters.

1. Effective representation of spiritual liberty

“The best representation of spiritual liberty is a representation that stands up for people of religion or no faith, because even people of no faith have an important interest in what might be done by religions and believing individuals who speak up for freedom generally, which we attempt to encourage.

“The members of our Church are members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And fundamental to that doctrine is the appropriate and the duty of people to decide on to do what keeps the commandments of God and what furthers the aim of the gospel of Jesus Christ as He taught it. Without religious freedom, we should not free to try this.” 

— President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor within the First Presidency, Church News podcast, July 4, 2023.

2. Religious freedom within the context of the laws of the country

“We have to treat religious freedom within the context of the laws of the country, because God established the governments of men in addition to the governments of God. It is brief sighted of religions and spiritual believers to imagine that their particular values, as vital and God given as they’re, ought to be dominant over every other concern of other children of God.”

— President Oaks, keynote address on the 2022 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit, held in Rome, Italy, on July 20, 2022.

3. Accountability to God

“Accountability to God for our relationships with one another is a robust force for good and strongly supports democracy. Those who feel accountable to God also feel a responsibility to enhance the lives of the less fortunate and to follow the laws of the land.”

— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commemorating the seventy fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dec. 6, 2023.

4. Religious liberty protects everyone

“Religious liberty protects not only believers but everyone. It is the taproot that sustains and nourishes many other fundamental freedoms, values and social goods.”

— Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke Oct. 29, 2021, during the Forum on Religious Freedom within the Southern Cone based in Chile, per the Church News. The term “Southern Cone” refers back to the area that comprises the countries of Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. He spoke from Salt Lake City.

5. Religious groups play an indispensable role

“Religious groups and individuals play an indispensable role in our communities and are uniquely positioned to alleviate suffering and help those on the margins of society. … It will take all of us serving, contributing whatever now we have available in time, talents and money to deal with the suffering we see around us.”

— Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson speaking on “Freedom To Serve Our Neighbor: The Role of Religious Charities and Volunteers” through the Freedom To Serve Symposium at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, along with Iowa Religious Freedom Day.