Additional Resource

Church Apostle Addresses Religious Freedom at Interfaith Meeting

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in an interfaith dinner hosted by the Church in São Paulo, Brazil. Elder Bednar was accompanied by Elder Juan A. Uceda of the Presidency of the Seventy and members of the presidency of the Brazil Area, Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, Elder W. Mark Bassett and Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella.

 

The event was attended by about 50 religious leaders, lawyers, judges, academics, representatives of the government, journalists and businessmen with continued emphasis on aligning efforts to promote religious freedom.

Elder Bednar was the keynote speaker for the evening. He thanked everyone for working hard to protect religious freedom. He said, “There is a paradox in religious freedom — if I want my religious freedom to be protected, then I must protect the religious freedom of those who believe in a basically different way from my own. This is our task. And it will be our ongoing challenge. Religious freedom is more than a right; it is a duty.”

“We come together on such an occasion as good people, committed to doing something, to be effective in preserving and protecting the freedom of all,” explained Elder Bednar. “That's why it’s an honor for me to be here with you.”

Dr. Valdetário Monteiro of the National Council of Justice and president of Brazil Bar Association OAB in Ceará, created the Religious Freedom Commission. “May we live with the certainty that this freedom — religious freedom — instead of separating us, can unite us in the Christian feeling of allowing each other the free exercise of their faith. Count on us in these efforts.”

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