n my work as a religious freedom attorney, I defend people of all faiths—even those whose beliefs differ sharply from mine.
One example: I once defended a Muslim mosque in Tennessee. Local zoning authorities had approved 20 Christian churches in a row. But when the mosque applied, they imposed a higher legal standard—just because some neighbors objected.
In short, the mosque faced stricter rules because it was unpopular.
My Christian friends sometimes ask why I defend religious freedom for non-Christians. To me, that mosque case highlights three clear reasons why we, as Christians, should care deeply about religious freedom for everyone.
1. It Protects Our Own Freedom
Let’s start with self-interest: defending religious freedom for non-Christians protects religious freedom for Christians too.
This principle is easy to see in zoning cases like the one in Tennessee. That mosque wasn’t welcome in its neighborhood. But I’ve also defended Christian churches that were equally unwelcome.
A few examples:
- A small Texas church couldn’t use a vacant building because city officials preferred a business that would generate more tax revenue.
- A church in Colorado was blocked from expanding after officials declared, “There will never be another mega-church in Boulder County.”
The legal principles in all these cases are the same. If the government can block a mosque based on public hostility, it can also block a church for similar reasons.
Conversely, when we win protections for one faith group, we strengthen the legal precedent for others. When I won that Texas zoning case, the judge based his ruling on an earlier case involving a Jewish synagogue in Florida.
So a victory for a synagogue became a victory for a Christian church.
This principle cuts both ways:
- A loss for non-Christians often turns into a loss for Christians.
- The best-known example is Employment Division v. Smith—where the Supreme Court upheld a law punishing Native Americans for using peyote in religious ceremonies.
- That decision has since been used to deny protections in numerous religious freedom cases—including ones involving Christians.
The takeaway is simple: if we ignore the rights of Muslims, Jews, Native Americans, or others, we undermine our own. When we defend their rights, we’re defending ours too.
2. It Helps Us Share the Gospel
The second reason is rooted in evangelism: defending religious freedom helps more people come to Christ.
This is a theological point, not a legal one. Scripture doesn’t call us to use government power to make disciples. Jesus didn’t do that. Neither did the early church.
We’re called to “preach Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:23) and to trust the Holy Spirit to convict hearts (John 16:8). Coercion isn’t part of the gospel.
Government coercion can backfire:
- Preventing someone from building a mosque or wearing a headscarf won’t bring them closer to Christ.
- At best, it pressures them to pretend to be Christian—without true faith.
- At worst, it hardens their hearts and pushes them further away.
But religious freedom opens doors:
Because I defended the Tennessee mosque, I got to know the imam personally. We’ve had honest conversations about our faiths.
- He challenges the logic of the Trinity.
- I explain why we can’t earn God’s favor and must turn to Jesus as Savior.
I never would have had that opportunity if I hadn’t stood up for his freedom.
3. It’s Simply the Right Thing to Do
Finally, we should defend religious freedom for others because it’s just.
Here’s why:
- God created every person for a relationship with Him.
- That relationship must be entered into freely, not coerced by governments or laws.
- When the state interferes unnecessarily, it’s exceeding its rightful authority and robbing people of a God-given opportunity.
It’s also a human rights issue:
- Every person is born with a spiritual impulse—a desire to seek truth.
- But we can only seek truth authentically if we’re free to do so.
So when the government forces people to violate their understanding of truth, it violates their human dignity.
This isn’t relativism. It’s the opposite: it’s rooted in the absolute belief that God designed us to choose Him freely—not through pressure or punishment.
So Don’t Ask Why—Ask How
In short, don’t ask why I defend religious freedom for non-Christians.
Ask how you can, too.
