Mother Teresa on Religious Freedom

FREEDOM OF RELIGION
"There is no freedom if a person is not free to choose according to his or her conscience."

An Open Letter to Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai - Regarding the Freedom of Religion Bill 1978

(The best letter I have ever read ever.  So true then.  So true today)




Dear Mr. Desai and Members of Our Parliament,
        After much prayer and sacrifices I write to you asking you to face God in prayer, before you take the step which will destroy the joy and the freedom of our people.
        Our people - as you know better than I - are God-fearing people.  In whatever way you approach them, the presence of God - the fear of God is there.  Today all over the country everybody feels insecure because the very life of conscience is being touched.
        Religion is not something you and I can touch.  Religion is the worship of God, therefore, a matter of conscience.  I alone must decide for myself and you for yourself what we choose.  For me this is my very life, my joy, and the greatest gift of God  is His love for me.  He could have given me no greater gift.
        I love my people very much, more than myself, and so naturally I would wish them the joy of possessing this treasure, but it is not mine to give, nor can I force it on anyone.  So, also no man, no law, no Government has the right to prevent me nor force me nor anyone, if I choose to embrace the religion that gives me peace, joy, love.
       I was told that Gandhiji had said, "If the Christians would live their lives according to the teaching of Jesus Christ there would be no Hindus left in India."  You cannot give what you do not have.
       This new move that is being brought to the Parliament under the cover of freedom of religion is false.  There is no freedom if a person is not free to choose according to his or her conscience.  Our people in Arunachal are so disturbed.  All these years our people have lived together in peace.  Now religion is used as a deadly weapon to destroy the love they had for each other, just because some are Christians, some are Hindus, some Tribals.  Are you not afraid of God?
        You call Him ISHWAR, some call Him ALLAH, some simply GOD, but we all have to acknowledge that it is HE who made us for greater things: to love and be loved.  Who are we to prevent our people to find this God who made them - who loves them - to whom they have to return?
        You took over your sacred duty in the name of God - acknowledging God's supreme right over our country and her people.  It was so beautiful.  But now I am afraid for you.  I am afraid for our people.  Abortion being allowed has brought so much hatred, for if a mother can murder her own child, what is left for others to kill each other.  You do not know what abortion has done and is doing to our people.  There is so much immorality, so many broken homes, so much mental disturbance because of the murder of the innocent unborn child, in the conscience of the mother.  You don't know how much evil is spread everywhere.
        Mr. Desai, you are so close to meeting God face-to-face.  I wonder what answer you will give for allowing the destruction of the life of the innocent unborn child and destroying the freedom to serve God, according to one's choice and belief.  At the hour of death, I believed we will be judged according to the words of Jesus who has said:
I was hungry, you give Me food,
I was thirsty, you give Me to drink,
I was homeless, you took Me in,
I was naked, you clothed Me,
I was sick, you took care of Me,
I was in prison, you visited Me.
Truly I say to you, for as long as you did it to those the least of my brothers, you did it to Me.
         Gandhiji has also said: "He who serves the poor, serves God."
         I spend hours and hours in serving the sick and the dying, the unwanted, the unloved, the lepers, the mental - because I love God and I believe His word: "You did it to Me."  This is the only reason and the joy of my life: to love and serve him in the distressing disguise of the poor, the unwanted, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, and naturally in doing so, I proclaim His love and compassion for each one of my suffering brothers and sisters.
         Mr. Desai and Members of Parliament, in the name of God, do not destroy the freedom our country and people have had, to serve and love God according to their conscience and belief.  Do not belittle our Hindu religion saying that our Hindu poor people give up their religion for "a plate of rice."  To my knowledge, I have not seen this being done though thousands have died in our hands beautifully in peace with God.
         I remember I picked up a destitute from the street who was nearly eaten up with maggots.  He said gratefully: "I have lived like an animal in the street - but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for."  And he died a beautiful death, loved and cared for and in peace with God.  I have always made it my rule to cooperate wholeheartedly with the central and state governments in all undertakings which are for the good of our people.  You will be glad to know that we are cooperating very earnestly in helping in family limitations through morally sound means.  In Calcutta alone we have 102 centers where families are taught self-control out of love.  Here we promote the moral, the legal, and scientific method of natural family planning.  From 1971 to 1978 we have helped 11,701 Hindu families, 5,568 Muslims and 4,341 Christian families.  Through this natural and beautiful method there have been 61,397 less babies born.
         Turning to another sad point I wish to inform you that I have been trying to get into Arunachal Pradesh for some time now, but so far I have not succeeded and yet Ramakrishna Mission members are entering freely.  We are in 87 places in India.  Why are we not with our poor in Arunachal?
         I pray and I beg you that you order a day of prayer throughout the country.  The Catholics of our country have called an all-India day of fast, prayer, and sacrifice on Friday 6th April to maintain peace and communal harmony and to ensure that India lives up to its noble tradition of religious freedom.  I request you to propose a similar day of intercession for all communities of our country - that we may obtain peace, unity, and love, that we become one heart full of love and so become the sunshine of God's love, the hope of eternal happiness, and the burning flame of God's  love and compassion in our families, our country, and in the world.

God bless you,
M. Teresa M.C.