The Case for Compassion: The Foundation of Religious Freedom Advocacy

Introduction

Honored friends and associates, thank you for being with us today. We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Summit’s organizers and the many individuals who have made this gathering a reality.

It’s a great privilege to speak with you at this pivotal time. While the excitement of a new U.S. presidential administration may overshadow it, this week is also World Interfaith Harmony Week, an annual observance set by the United Nations General Assembly. Its purpose is to foster interreligious dialogue, promote mutual understanding, and build a culture of peace—aims we are all working toward in our respective spheres of influence. ¹ I admire and applaud your unwavering commitment to advancing freedom of religion or belief through dialogue and peacebuilding.

The Plague of Persecution

The world is fragile and divided, with millions suffering from various forms of persecution, including religious persecution. My heart goes out to all who face such suffering. We pray for those affected and for those working to find solutions. To those experiencing religious persecution: We stand with you. You are not alone. Amid your suffering, confusion, and anger, I urge you not to let these feelings weaken your faith. Hold onto hope, and let it give you strength and resilience. As Pope Francis recently shared regarding those experiencing persecution: “I encourage [you] to persevere in charity towards all, peacefully striving for justice and religious freedom.”

Some of you may know the story of Corrie ten Boom. Her faith and hope during intense persecution are truly remarkable. I will now quote an account of her time in a Nazi concentration camp with her sister Betsie: “For years during the Nazi occupation, [Corrie] helped hide Jews in her home and smuggled them to safety. But then she and her family were arrested by the Gestapo, and Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to a women’s labor concentration camp. The barracks they stayed in were far from ideal. There was hardly space for them to move around, as so many women were tightly packed into the one room. To make matters worse, it was infested with fleas. ‘How can we live in such a place?’ Corrie wondered. Together the sisters read 1 Thessalonians. Betsie took seriously the heeding to ‘give thanks in all circumstances’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and she began thanking God for everything in the room, prompting Corrie to repeat after her. But when Betsie thanked God for the fleas, Corrie responded, ‘There’s no way even God can make me thankful for a flea.’ In response Betsie told her, ‘Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.’ So, still harboring doubt in her heart, Corrie thanked God for even the fleas. Betsie was right. The women started to notice that the guards were staying away from their barracks, giving them hours of alone time after their workday. This gave the sisters the freedom to lead worship services for the other prisoners using a Bible they had smuggled into camp. They read Scripture together and prayed, and some of the prisoners even came to believe in Christ as a result. Then they realized why the guards were avoiding their room—they were wary of getting fleas! When it seemed like everything was stripped from them, here was evidence that God cared about them—fleas! Fleas was God’s way of providing a means by which these suffering women could be near to him through his Word.” ²

In the Holy Bible we read these extraordinary words: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? “…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God…”

I don’t want to downplay the serious struggles you face, especially the violence and suffering you may be enduring. Religious freedom is a complex issue, and there is no simple solution. If there were, persecution would have ended long ago. In fact, recent research shows a troubling trend. Religious persecution, restriction of freedom of religion ³, and violent acts against religious groups have reached an all-time high globally.⁴

People of faith have long faced persecution, from discrimination to atrocities like genocide. My own faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has experienced intense, violent persecution in the past. However, history doesn’t have to repeat itself. Whether we let our violent past shape our future is up to us.

Our Universal Human Dignity

Any discussion of change in how we treat one another must begin with human dignity, the foundation of human rights. Societies thrive when both law and culture recognize, respect, and protect the inherent value of every person. Dignity is a universal birthright. Everyone has dignity simply by being human, regardless of religion, race, gender, or nationality. While cultural and religious differences enrich our shared humanity, they do not affect our dignity.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines dignity as the “foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” ⁵ We consequently have the right to life, liberty, security, equal protection under the law, and freedom of thought, speech, and religion. These rights place us all on equal moral ground and give our lives meaning. Human dignity is the shared foundation of religious traditions worldwide.

Human dignity may differ across cultures, but it remains a constant in a changing world. It helps balance the inequalities of privilege, wealth, and opportunity. However, these rights must be universally upheld; otherwise, justice becomes subject to those in power. Dignity is about understanding our humanity. The search for meaning, whether individually or within a community, is a sacred right that no one can impose. Every person matters, always and everywhere.

The Value of Human Rights

In spite of our current understanding of human dignity and the rights flowing therefrom, historically speaking, human rights are a relatively new concept. It was not until 1948, after World War II, that leaders from different nations, cultures, religions, and political systems came together to set universal human rights. These rights, including life, liberty, security, equal protection under the law, and freedom of thought, speech, and religion, have always been part of our deepest hopes and aspirations.

We often take such rights for granted, as if they have always been around, and always will be around. These rights speak for themselves but cannot defend themselves. That is our task. I believe our rights come from God, but that the care of those rights is up to us. This divine origin is important, because if rights are reduced to whatever the current cultural or religious majority wants, then they become nothing more than opinion or, worse, a tool for power. But time, wisdom, and practice show that they are grounded much more deeply.

As Alexander Hamilton, one of the American Founding Fathers, wrote: “The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments, or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power.” ⁶  These sacred rights are only as reliable as the people who exercise them and the governments that protect them. And the protection of these sacred rights depends upon a society of people who prioritize cooperation and compassion.

A Call for Compassion

A common regard for humanity enables a common support of rights. Rights naturally flow from dignity, and dignity takes root when rights are respected and preserved. From this fertile soil begins to grow compassion, defined as a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” ⁷

Compassion enables us to see a reflection of ourselves in one another—our dreams, hopes, and triumphs, as well as our fears, our worries, and our suffering. Without compassion, we are merely strangers and foreigners to each other. With compassion, we see each other with new eyes, as brothers and sisters. Compassion goes beyond tolerance—it calls us to understand and engage with those who are different. It should be the driving force behind our shared efforts for conscience and religious freedom. Compassion must not just be an ideal, but a practice we nurture through daily actions, guiding our advocacy for greater religious freedom worldwide.

We Need Religion

The idea of compassion is deeply embedded in the fabric of religion, serving as a common thread that connects us to a shared responsibility for each other’s well-being. However, the impact of religion goes beyond compassion. I believe lasting religious freedom is rooted in religious principles that foster moral individuals, encourage peace, and promote service to vulnerable communities. Religious freedom matters because religion itself is important. Prayers and meditations dignify our most solemn public ceremonies.

Political leaders often invoke God’s blessing in times of crisis. Religious rituals mark life’s pivotal moments of birth, coming of age, marriage, death, and countless moments in between. Our very understanding of human rights stems from religious ideals. ⁸

Observing the course of history shows that human beings are religious by nature. Religion offers a framework by which people find meaning, belonging, and identity – whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or any other. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has written, religion gives us “a feeling of participating in something vast and consequential.” ⁹

And this religious participation flows into the public sphere. The acclaimed sociological study titled American Grace, found that religious observance is linked to higher civic involvement. Religious observance also connects to trust and correlates with the neighborly virtues of charitable giving, volunteerism and altruism. ¹⁰ This research also shows that religious people are “more generous neighbors and more conscientious citizens than their secular counterparts.” ¹¹ This altruistic attitude expresses itself in seemingly small actions.

Churches and congregations of all kinds bring communities together. They provide a setting for people to serve those who they would not normally serve, and to talk with people they would not normally talk with. This is one of the reasons why Rabbi Sacks calls religion “the most powerful community builder the world has known.” ¹²

Striving to live a spiritual life broadens our perspective and uplifts our struggles. The great religions shield us from despair and feelings of insignificance. Sacred texts inspire us to seek goodness, simplicity, and higher purpose, while teaching us to overcome inner weaknesses and fight external injustices. Along these lines, Rabbi David Wolpe said that religion “can go into a world in which there is a great deal of pain and suffering and loss and bring meaning and purpose and peace.” ¹³

While religious people are not perfect, religion provides a roadmap for making sense of life. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a fellow leader in my church, said: “Religion has no monopoly on moral action, but centuries of religious belief, including institutional church- or synagogue- or mosque-going, have clearly been preeminent in shaping our notions of right and wrong.” ¹⁴

Whether inherited from religious teachings or grounded in practical experience, all societies have some moral basis. Trace the pedigree of our moral understandings and you will find religion at the roots. ¹⁵ Secular historians Will and Ariel Durant wrote, “There is no significant example in history, before our time, of a society successfully maintaining moral life without the aid of religion.” ¹⁶

Religion encourages moral, responsible citizenship and the peaceful resolution of differences, both globally and in everyday life. Religion also encourages individuals and communities to resolve differences peacefully and respectfully. Jesus Christ taught “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Mahatma Gandhi echoed this sentiment, saying, “It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion.” ¹⁷

When governments support religious liberty, they strengthen their nations as a whole. We, as religious leaders, government officials, and advocates, can link arms in the peaceful promotion of religious freedom.

Conclusion

The fight for religious freedom is much more than protecting the right to worship; it is about preserving the dignity, compassion, and respect that all people deserve. While challenges to religious freedom are complex, it is inspiring to see so many working so tirelessly to find sustainable solutions. Thank you for your commitment to this noble cause. May we all strive, across faiths and borders, to create a more compassionate world for everyone, everywhere.

Thank you.

1. “World Interfaith Harmony Week,” United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/observances/interfaith-harmony-week

2. “Thankful for Fleas,” The Torchlighters, November 19, 2021, https://torchlighters.org/thankful-for-fleas/.

3. “Government Restrictions on Religion Stayed at Peak Levels Globally in 2022,” Pew Research Center, December 18, 2024, https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/12/18/government-restrictions-on-religion-stayed-at-peak-levels-globally-in-2022/

4. "Number of Countries Where Religious Groups Were Harassed Reached New Peak Level in 2022,” December 18, 2024, https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/12/18/number-of-countries-where-religious-groups-were-harassed-reached-new-peak-level-in-2022/

5. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, December 10, 1948.

6. Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775, p. 5.

7. “Compassion,” Merriam-Webster, Accessed January 10, 2025, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compassion

8. See “Civil Society: Faith in the Public Square,” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.

9. Jonathan Sacks, The Great Partnership: Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning (New York: Schocken Books, 2011), 101.

10. Robert A. Putnam and David E. Campbell, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010).

11. American Grace, 444.

12. Jonathan Sacks, “The Moral Animal,” New York Times, Dec. 23, 2012.

13. "Why Faith Matters: Rabbi David J. Wolpe,” lecture given at Emory University, Oct. 21, 2008.

14. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Bound by Loving Ties,” BYU Devotional, Aug. 16, 2016.

15. See “The Quest for a Common Moral Framework,” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.

16. Will and Ariel Durant, The Lessons of History (1996), 51.

17. Mahatma Gandhi, Harijan, 11-5-'47, p. 146.