Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Dave Baker and I am here
today representing Religious Freedom Indiana.
I want to speak about a cornerstone of American democracy—
religious freedom—and the growing challenges it faces,
particularly from the rise of Christian nationalist ideology that is
currently being advanced both nationally and within the state of
Indiana.
From the very beginning, the United States was founded on the
principle that individuals should be free to practice their religion—
or no religion at all—without government interference. This
principle is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution,
which guarantees both the free exercise of religion and
prohibits the government from establishing any religion.
Article 6 further supports this by prohibiting a religious test as a
requirement for holding any public office in America.
This dual protection, freedom of religion and freedom from
government-imposed religion, has allowed the United States to
become one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world.
People of all faiths, and those of none, have found a home here.
This diversity is not a weakness; it is a profound strength.
However, this foundational freedom is under threat.
In recent years, a movement known as Christian nationalism
has gained momentum. This ideology seeks to fuse a particular
brand of conservative Christianity with American identity. It
promotes the idea that the United States was founded as a
Christian nation and should return to those supposed roots.
One of the most concerning manifestations of this ideology is
Project 2025, a policy blueprint developed by over 100
conservative organizations. While not officially tied to any political
campaign, it is clearly being implemented to reshape the federal
government along explicitly religious lines. It proposes executive
actions that would prioritize a narrow interpretation of Christian
values in public policy—potentially at the expense of other faiths
and belief systems. These actions are already being taken at the
federal level and fully supported by our Governor, Lt. Governor
and a majority of these elected to our state legislature.
Christian nationalism has already influenced public discourse and
policy. It has been used to justify restrictions on reproductive
rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and even public education curricula.
In doing so, it elevates one religious perspective above all
others, undermining the pluralism that religious freedom depends
on.
Christianity itself is not the problem here. In fact, millions of
Christians in America support religious freedom and oppose the
politicization of their faith. The issue is when religion is used as a
tool for political power, when it becomes a means to exclude,
control, or dominate others.
Religious freedom means that a Jewish student, a Muslim
teacher, a Sikh business owner, an atheist scientist, and a
Christian pastor all have the same rights and protections under
the law. It means that no one should be forced to live under the
religious rules of someone else’s faith.
So what can we do?
First, we must educate ourselves and others about what
religious freedom truly means. It is not the right to impose one’s
beliefs on others; it is the right to live according to one’s
conscience, so long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.
Second, we must speak out when we see religious freedom
being distorted or threatened—whether in our communities, our
schools, or our government.
And finally, we must support leaders and organizations that
defend the separation of church and state and promote a vision of
America where all people, regardless of faith, can thrive.
In closing, religious freedom is not just a legal principle it is a
moral one. It calls us to respect the dignity and beliefs of others,
even when they differ from our own. It is a promise we make to
one another as citizens of a diverse and democratic nation.
Let us keep that promise.
Thank you.
Reference our booth and encourage people to stop by.