Perhaps you missed it. Last week, President Trump signed a
bipartisan bill to strengthen protections for religious groups and their
properties against persecution.
This legislation modifies the federal
criminal code to reflect prohibitions regarding intentionally damaging, defacing
or destroying religious property. It
establishes a criminal penalty — a fine, a prison term of up to 5-years, or
both — for a violation that results in damage or destruction to religious
property, in addition to expanding the definition of “religious real property”
to include real property owned or leased by a nonprofit, religiously affiliated
organization.
“Crimes targeting religious
institutions pose a danger to the religious freedom and security of all
Americans,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (UT-R) who introduced the measure.
Jewish groups like the American Jewish
Committee (AJC), which advocated for the bill, applauded its enactment. “This important law, which provides for new
and strengthened measures to deter, as well as punish, perpetrators of attacks
on religious institutions, will provide a much-needed sense of comfort and
security,” said Jason Isaacson, AJC Associate Executive Director for policy. “The solid bipartisan support for the
Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2018 is a reaffirmation of
our freedom, enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, to exercise religion, to
practice one’s faith unhindered and without fear,” said Isaacson. “The increasing attacks and threats against
churches, synagogues and mosques disgrace our nation’s most fundamental values,
and demand the firm response offered by the new law.”
Jews are the leading target of hate
crimes annually in the United States, according to the FBI.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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