Terrorism one of gravest threats to religious freedom: Trump

Team Udayavani, Apr 15, 2017, 12:40 PM IST

Washington DC (USA): US President Donald Trump has said that terrorism is one of the gravest threats to religious freedom around the world and hoped for a “better tomorrow” when people of all faiths, including Hindus, can worship according to their conscience.

In his weekly radio and web address, he said the US has cherished the freedom of worship “from the very beginning”.

“That is the promise the first settlers saw in our vast continent and it is the promise that our bravest warriors have protected for all of our citizens in centuries since, a long time ago,” he said yesterday.

“Sadly, many around the globe do not enjoy this freedom and one of the gravest threats to religious freedom remains the threat of terror,” he said.

On Palm Sunday, as Christians around the world celebrated the beginning of the Holy Week, IS killed 45 people and injured over 100 at two Christian churches in Egypt, he said.

“We condemn this barbaric attack. We mourn for those who lost loved ones. And we pray for the strength and wisdom to achieve a better tomorrow one where good people of all faiths, Christians and Muslims and Jewish and Hindu, can follow their hearts and worship according to their conscience,” Trump said.

“With God’s grace, life always triumphs over death, freedom overcomes oppression, and faith extinguishes fear.

This is the source of our hope and our confidence in the future,” he said.

He also had a special message for the struggling Americans who have felt for too long the bitter taste of hardship. “I want you to know: this White House is fighting for you,” he said.

“We are fighting for every American who has been left behind. We are fighting for the right of all citizens to enjoy safety and peace and to work and live with the dignity that all Children of God are entitled to know,” he said.