Panel 2: Religious Toleration and Religious Freedom: Its History, Its Importance

Panel 2: Religious Toleration and Religious Freedom: Its History, Its Importance

Author: Cato Institute June 14, 2016 Duration: 1:13:20

Throughout our history, Americans have been a highly religious people. Indeed, many of the original colonists came to the New World specifically to escape religious persecution. And though somewhat less devout than we once were, the United States still leads the developed world in religiosity.

Today, however, many feel that religious freedom is under serious—perhaps unprecedented—threat. With everything from health-insurance mandates, to the censoring of high school graduation speeches, to punishing vendors who refuse to work gay weddings, religious liberty seems to be increasingly curbed by powerful and intrusive government.

What should we do when a law or government action, often not intended to inhibit religious exercise, nevertheless does? How much of a connection between church and state is “too much,” such that it infringes on the rights of nonbelievers? How can we maximize harmony between religious and nonreligious Americans?

While these sorts of questions have arisen throughout American history, they may now be more important than ever. In this conference, we will seek to answer them.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step inside the Cato Institute's renowned Washington, D.C. events without leaving your desk. The Cato Event Podcast brings the lecture hall and briefing room directly to you, featuring unfiltered audio from live policy forums, author discussions, and Capitol Hill briefings. Each episode captures the substance of these gatherings, where scholars, policymakers, and leading thinkers engage in detailed conversations about liberty, governance, and current affairs. You'll hear substantive debates and thoughtful commentary that cut through the noise of daily headlines, offering deeper analysis on the issues shaping legislation and public discourse. This isn't a produced studio show; it's a front-row seat to the kind of candid exchanges that happen when experts gather to challenge conventional wisdom. The Cato Institute, through this podcast, provides a direct conduit to these discussions, emphasizing a perspective rooted in individual freedom, limited government, and free markets. Tune in for a raw, intellectual experience that goes beyond soundbites, perfect for anyone who wants to understand the foundational ideas behind today's political news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 102

Cato Event Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Narconomics: How to Run a Drug Cartel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:46
Drug trafficking is one of the most resilient and lucrative industries in the world, with estimated revenues of $300 billion a year. Despite the tens of billions of dollars that governments spend every year trying to dis…
Quantitative Easing: A Requiem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:38
In an effort to combat the Great Recession, the Federal Reserve embarked on an unprecedented program of quantitative easing (QE) — the large-scale purchase of financial assets using freshly created money. The idea was to…
Is the European Union a Friend or Foe of Economic Freedom? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:42
In the past, the European Union was seen as a force for economic liberalization. Brussels broke down many barriers to the free movement of goods, services, people, and capital. As such, the EU was credited with growing p…
From "No Child" to "Every Student": How Big a Change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:21
The No Child Left Behind Act, with its rules about everything from teacher qualifications to school interventions, has finally been replaced. What took so long? Finally getting the left and right to agree that Washington…
Derivatives: Weapons of Mass Destruction or Tools of Stability? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:24
Derivatives have been called “weapons of mass destruction” and have been accused of not only magnifying but also causing the recent financial crisis. In the wake of the crisis, many called for increased regulation of the…
Cornerstone of Liberty: Property Rights in 21st-Century America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:11
In 1792 James Madison, the principal author of the Constitution, wrote that “Government is instituted to protect property of every sort.” But from the 20th century on the Supreme Court has upheld one inroad after another…
The Promise and Pitfalls of Economic Sanctions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:36
Economic sanctions have become a key component of the U.S. response to any crisis. Indeed, the Obama administration has imposed sanctions on countries as diverse as Russia, Iran, and Egypt, drawing on the strength and gl…
Air Traffic Control: Bipartisan Reform in 2016? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:38
With the Federal Aviation Administration’s authorization expiring in March, aviation experts are urging Congress to overhaul our air traffic control (ATC) system. The system suffers from uncertain funding, is bogged down…
The Libertarian State of the Union [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:50
In his final State of the Union address, President Obama hinted at plans for his last year in office, which included efforts to further regulate the economy as a means of addressing policy issues like climate change and…