WASHINGTON, -- A faith organization plans to display a 16 foot cross, the Star of David and a sacred symbol for the name of Jesus in front of the White House on Sunday, June 7.This public witness is taking place to call upon President Obama to respect and protect public expressions of faith after he covered up a cross and a symbol for the name of Jesus at a Georgetown University speech.Located in Washington, D.C., Georgetown is the oldest Catholic university in the United States.
Faith leaders are asking that the White House issue a written policy saying they will not cover up any religious or sacred symbols during appearances and speeches by President Obama.
The Christian Defense Coalition is sponsoring the event which will be held Sunday, June 7, at 7:00 P.M. in front of the White House. The activities will also include a prayer vigil.
The exact location is Pennsylvania Ave. NW across from Lafayette Park.
The group is troubled and finds hypocritical that President Obama would highlight religious liberty and freedom at his recent speech in Cairo, yet here in America he chooses to cover up Christian religious symbols and trample on religious liberty.
The coalition wonders out loud if President Obama is being "selective" when it comes to protected religious freedom. In his speech, he talked about protecting the right of women and girls to wear the hijab and using the courts to punish those who would deny it. Yet the President shows no respect for the Christian tradition by covering the cross and a symbol for the name of Jesus.
At the Cairo speech President Obama said:
"Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it."
"Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion."
"That is why the US government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it."
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states:
"We applaud President Obama for making religious freedom and liberty a central part of his Cairo speech. However, it is both hypocritical and troubling to highlight protecting religious liberty in Egypt while disrespecting and crushing it here in America.
"It is stunning that the President of the United States would ask a Catholic university to cover up the cross and a symbol for the name of Jesus 'to provide a consistent background of American flags for a televised speech' according to the White House. These are not the actions of a President that respects and is sensitive toward public expressions of faith.
"We admire President Obama for using the courts to protect the right of Muslim women and girls to wear the hijab. This is a very significant step in safeguarding religious liberty. However, the commitment to secure freedom of religion should extend to all faith traditions not a select few. President Obama should be as committed to protecting Christian public expressions of faith as he is toward protecting Muslim public expressions of faith.
"The simplest way to clear up this controversy is for the White House to apologize and issue a written policy saying they will not cover up any religious or sacred symbols during an appearance or speech by the President. That policy must include all faith traditions."
