Trent Franks: “I believe the cornerstone of all human freedom is that of religious freedom. Indeed, a small separatist church…”

“I believe the cornerstone of all human freedom is that of religious freedom. Indeed, a small separatist church congregation in England possessed a desire so strong to practice their faith freely that it compelled them to cross the ocean in a little wooden ship called the Mayflower. While theirs was a quest to be able to practice the faith of Christianity, a central tenet of their Christian faith was the belief that all human beings were given the right by God to embrace whatever religious conviction they truly held in their hearts, and that human beings should protect that right for each other. Madam Speaker, today we considered and passed H. Res. 847, ``recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.'' Of course, Madam Speaker, there will be those who will criticize any effort to recognize a particular faith or holiday. However, Madam Speaker, aside from the debatable aspects of this resolution, or any other, those who are even slightly acquainted with history know that the Bible, the founding document of the Christian faith, was the essential rationale and substance that inspired our Declaration of Independence and was, further, the bedrock foundational document of the Western world.”