On Tuesday, January 17, 2017 Richland County Commissioners proclaimed Religious Freedom Day.
“Despite attacks on the First Amendment right on the free exercise of religion, religious institutions continue to be the chief agents in bringing social stability, and the prime catalysts for compelling charity and volunteerism. Make no mistake, an America without the ‘freedom of religion’ would mean a nation given over to tyranny.”
Mansfield Mayor Timothy Theaker is also scheduled to give a proclamation honoring “Religious Freedom Day,” at the Mansfield City Council Caucus 700 PM later the same day.
Proclamation:
PROCLAMATION
Religious freedom day
January 16, 2017
Whereas, pilgrim leaders persecuted for their faith in 1620 signed the first written framework for government for the land of the United States, called the “Mayflower Compact,” which stated that they undertook their voyage for the glory of GOD and the advancement of their personal faith, (1) and….
Whereas, Religious Freedom Day, has been acknowledged by the President of the United States since 1993, and originated from the 1786 Virginia “Statute for Religious Freedom” which stated that freedom of religion is the natural right of all humanity and is not a privilege for any government to grant or take away, (2) and….
Whereas, the first right guaranteed in the Bill of Rights in 1787 is the freedom of religion which states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (3) and….
Whereas, to honor the religious heritage of our society, the national motto of the United States in 1956 became “In GOD we trust,” (4) and in 1959 the motto of the state of Ohio became, “With GOD, all things are possible,” (5) and….
Whereas, Harvard University conducted a twenty year study finding that regular religious service attendance can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality, (6) and….
Whereas, religion contributes $1.2 trillion to the United States annual economy in areas from health care to education to philanthropy; with the benefit of religion for the American economy greater than the top ten tech companies combined, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft, (7) and…
Whereas, religiosity is positively related to charity and volunteerism, with individuals with higher levels of religiosity more likely to engage in organized volunteering and informal acts of compassion, (8) and….
Whereas, couples with higher levels of religiosity tend to invest more in their marriages, have a higher quality
of marital life, a lower likelihood of divorce, and are less likely to be involved in incidents of domestic
violence, (9) and…
Whereas, youth involvement in religious communities and groups may protect them against engaging in delinquent behaviors, and youth who participate in religious activity, such as prayer or reading or watching religious content, are also less likely to display antisocial behavior,(10) and….
Whereas, faith-based programs show promise in regards to providing evidence-based research for reducing recidivism in correctional facilities, posing as a cost effective alternative to government run programs(11) and….
Whereas, the Pew Research Center reports that in 2014, three-quarters of the world’s 7.2 billion people (74%) were living in countries with high or very high religious restrictions or hostilities,(12) and…
Whereas, Liberty First Institute compiled a survey on hostility to religion in America documenting 1,200 different attacks on religion in the public arena, the schoolhouse, the church, and the military, and reports attacks on religious liberty are dramatically increasing in the United States, both in the frequency and in the severity, (13) and….
Whereas, Richland County, Ohio has over two hundred churches and synagogues located inside the county (14) and the county seat Mansfield was given the moniker of “City of Churches,”(15) and….
Whereas, the Board of Commissioners of Richland County, Ohio historically proclaimed “Religious Freedom Day” for the years of 2011 (16) and 2014 (17-20)….
Now, therefore, the Board of Richland County Commissioners does thereby proclaim the day of January 16th, 2017 as “religious freedom day”
References
(1) Content of the Mayflower Compact, Rendered into PDF by Jon Roland of the Constitution Society, http://constitution.o rg/bcp/mayfcomp.pdf
(2) Religious Freedom Day website from guidebook, http://www.gtbe.org /uploads/images/file s/RFD%20Booklet%20(vertical)%2 0with%20Wider%20Margins.pdf
(3) National Archives, The Bill of Rights transcription, https://www.archives.gov/foun ding-docs/bill-of-rights-trans cript#toc-amendment-i
(4) “President Eisenhower signs “In God We Trust” into law, The History Channel,”http://www.history.co m/this-day-in-history/presiden t-eisenhower-signs-in-god-we-t rust-into-law
(5) https://en.wikipedia.org/w iki/With_God,_all_things_are_p ossible
(6) “Attending religious services improves health, study says,” by Mark Caudill, Mansfield News Journal, December 9, 2016 http://www.mansfieldnews journal.com/story/news/local/2 016/12/09/attending-religious- services-improves-health-study -says/95137238/
(7) “The Socio-economic Contribution of Religion to American Society: An Empirical Analysis,” by Brian J. Grim, Georgetown University and Melissa E. Grim, Newseum Institute, Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion, Volume 12 2016 Article 3, http://www.religjournal.co m/pdf/ijrr12003.pdf
(8) “Religiosity and Charity/Volunteering Brief,” Familyfacts.org, Number 41, The Heritage Foundation’s Leadership for America campaign,http://thf_media.s3.a mazonaws.com/familyfacts/brief s/FF_Brief_41.pdf
(9) “Religion and Family Brief,” Familyfacts.org, Number 38, The Heritage Foundation’s Leadership for America campaign, http://thf_media.s3. amazonaws.com/familyfacts/brie fs/FF_Brief_38.pdf
(10) Michelle J. Pearce, “The Protective Effects of Religiousness and Parent Involvement on the Development of Conduct Problems Among Youth Exposed to Violence,” Child Development, Vol. 74, No. 6 (November/December 2003), pp. 1682–1696.
(11) “Faith-based programs give facilities a helping hand,” by Laurie C. Bright and Mary G. Graham https://www.ncjrs.gov/p dffiles1/nij/221896.pdf
(12) “Trends in Global Restrictions on Religion,” June 23, 2016, The Pew Research Center, http://www.pewforum.or g/2016/06/23/trends-in-global- restrictions-on-religion/
(13) “Undeniable: the Survey to Hostility to Religion in America, the 2016 Edition,” by First Liberty Institute, https://firstlibert y.org/undeniable/
(14) “The Nehemiah Project: A Pastor Survey and Census of Richland County for the Year 2006,” conducted by the Richland Community Prayer Network, Sherman Room, Richland County Public Library
(15) “Six of Every Ten Mansfielders Belong to Some Church But Only 35 percent of People Goes To Sunday Services,” by Irene Hipp, Mansfield News Journal, 1928 no date, Sherman Room-Richland County Public Library
(16) “Proclamation Observes Religious Freedom Day,” by WMFD-TV, posted on January 13, 2011
(17) “Religious leaders speak on importance of religious freedom,” by Emily Dech, Richland Source, January 16, 2014 http://www.richlandsource .com/news/religious-leaders-sp eak-on-importance-of-religious -freedom/article_3293f444- 7ee3-11e3-9560-10604b9ffee2. html
(18) “County proclaims Religious Freedom Day, by Al Lawrence, Mansfield News Journal, January 17, 2014
(19) “Local religious leaders warn that freedoms are in jeopardy,” Tribune Courier-Madison Tribune, January 23, 2014
(20) “County commissioners recognize religious Freedom Day with proclamation,’ by Bill Henderson, Bellville Star, January 23, 2014