What Religions Have in Common

What religions have in common
Is far more important than how they vary
On this mission we're now called on
To maintain the religious freedoms we carry

So valuable is religious teaching
To our free society today
We must remind all of how far reaching
We are in charitable service and aid

Let us review history and highlight a few
Of our accomplishments on the public square
The Emancipation Proclamation and civil rights too
Were inspired and furthered through religious care

The practice of integrity and honesty rest
Ultimately on our ideas of right and wrong
While law enforcement is limited at best
The influence of religion is long

From the origin of the Constitution
We've defined human worth and dignity
We are a necessary institution
For preserving our nations prosperity

For almost a century
We've limited political power as we should
As we are the cornerstone of democracy
Rallying people for doing what is good

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Our Founding Fathers deliberately
Placed religious freedom first in the Bill of Rights
So wanting to maintain the guarantee
Of a nation under God's guiding light

Elder Dallin H. Oaks speech at Chapman University School of Law