On Thursday last week, President Donald Trump gave sign to an executive order meant to award faith groups an avenue to voice themselves in Washington. It also gives these religious organizations protection from government outreach.
The President gave the document the sign on May 3, which was earlier declared National Prayer Day.
A Religious initiative
The order will hence establish the White House Faith Opportunity Initiative, which will be given the mandate to give the President Wise council on how certain policies will affect faith groups. Moreover, the initiative put in place will also serve as a watchdog to safeguard religious organizations from interference and effects of the government.
In a press statement, President Trump expects the new faith initiative will create policies geared to helping people recognized the importance of faith within families, within the community, and within the country as a whole.
Trump administration directives
Since Trump assumed office last year, he has taken a number of directives geared to protecting religious liberty. For example, on May 4 last year, Trump gave the go-ahead for an order instructing the IRS to be less stringent when it comes to enforcing the Johnson Amendment; a rule which banned religious organizations from voicing their opinions in political speech, as well as political-based activities. Initially, the religious groups were threatened with the removal of their tax-exempt status.
In fact, in October the previous year, the Justice Department brought in 20 principles focusing on religious liberty to serve as part of the department’s litigation policy geared to protecting religious freedom.
A lawful approach
Moreover, the department proceeded to update its manual and increase the proficiency of cases regarding religious liberty. There will also be points of contact created in each U.S. attorney’s office that will serve as a point of religious liberty.
At the beginning of 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services further formed the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, whose mandate is to enforce the laws put in place to protect citizens’ rights to select the medical care that they prefer according to their religious beliefs.
Of note is that Trump is the first president in U.S. History to have addressed the yearly March for Life which took place on January 19th. Though the yearly event has no religious affiliations, it is geared to raise awareness for the lives of unborn fetuses that were terminated via abortion. A cause that is heavily promoted and supported by faith groups.
President Trump also reestablished the Mexico City policy, which averts over $9 billion in taxpayer funds being directed to fund the global abortion industry through donations such as foreign aid.
Trump also declared that his administration was doing all it could to curb religious prosecutions occurring all over the world, but did not divulge the specifics.
Following through on Campaign Promises
The orders are part of Mr. Trump’s campaign promises. Which he relayed during his campaigning period. The new orders are also geared to provide regulatory relief against the Obamacare necessities such as the mandatory requirement that every organization readily provide contraceptive care options. A requirement that was heavily deliberated during the Little Sisters of the Poor Case.
