We are with you — and commend your joining with New England and Baltimore Yearly Meetings and Adelphi and Richmond Friends Meetings in recently submitting a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
We admire this speedy reaction to the rescinding of religious protections of people in Religious buildings and the broadened power of the Department of Homeland Security. We agree that our Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom is at stake and that your strong response is exactly what is needed.
In his drafting of the Pennsylvania Constitution, William Penn wrote “No people can be truly happy, though under the greatest enjoyments of civil liberties, if abridged of the Freedom of their Conscience as to their Religious Profession and Worship”. Further, “No men, nor number of men upon earth, hath power or authority to rule over men’s consciences in religious matters.”
We are all struggling with what is currently unfolding in Washington, D.C. However, we are heartened by your forthright and speedy action in defense of religious freedom.
With sincere and heartfelt appreciation,
Miyo Moriuchi
Clerk, Chestnut Hill Monthly Meeting
Philadelphia, PA
