Take action!
Get involved and show your support for religious liberty. Not sure where to start? Here are some actionable ideas.
We as citizens and co-sustainers of our democracy must not abandon the important roles we play in protecting religious liberty for all people. The recent uptick in hate rhetoric and violence targeting religious minorities is as much a threat to religious liberty as any law or public policy. These individual acts not only demand responses from our officials, but also from we the people. Here are four ways to get started:
1 Welcome your neighbors
Order or print a sign welcoming all people, and post it at your home or house of worship
If you have a BJC T-shirt, wear it proudly.
Take a photo with your sign (and in your T-shirt if you have one!), and post the picture on social media.
Be sure to tag the Baptist Joint Committee on social media so we can see it.
Twitter: @BJContheHill
Facebook & Instagram: Use the hashtag #BaptistJointCommittee
Also use the hashtag #WelcomeYourNeighbors
Don’t use social media?
Email your photo to us at [email protected]
2 Love your neighbors
Commit that you will stand against all hate and intolerance, being an upstander — not just a bystander. Learn about your neighbors and share about yourself.
You can also show your commitment by signing the pledge at KnowYourNeighbor.us, and share it on social media.
3 Know your neighbors
Work toward authentic relationships with people of different faiths, and participate in the Know Your Neighbor 2017 summer campaign.
Visit ing.org/KYN to learn more about the summer campaign encouraging multifaith encounters. You can sign up and get practical ideas for engaging others through large events, partnerships or simple acts of kindness.
The website also has printable flyers for you to share with your congregation about the summer campaign, including flyers with specific action steps for individuals, ideas for communities, and ways youth can get involved. Print these out and share them among your friends and church family, and find ways to work together to know your neighbors.
The Baptist Joint Committee is proud to be a partner of the Know Your Neighbor campaign.
4 Share your story
Your commitment to religious liberty for all can inspire others. Share on social media, and tell us at [email protected].
Give to the Baptist Joint Committee
We can’t do our work without your partnership. Make a gift at BJConline.org/donate
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler introduced these action steps during the 2017 Religious Liberty Council Luncheon. You can watch her entire remarks below:
What is the Know Your Neighbor campaign?
In December 2015, the Baptist Joint Committee joined with 14 other organizations to launch an innovative project called “Know Your Neighbor.”
Created by Gurwin Singh Ahuja, a young Sikh man concerned about his own community’s challenges, Know Your Neighbor calls on all Americans to share their own beliefs as well as understand and respect those of others. The coalition believes that dialogue is desperately needed to reduce religious tensions and maximize the strength of our nation’s diverse heritage.
The coalition’s first event was participation in a White House convening on religious pluralism on Dec. 17, 2015. White House officials announced new plans to fight religious discrimination on July 22, 2016. The program continues through encouraging Multifaith Encounters as a way to continue conversations and begin new ones, breaking down barriers.
Learn more at KnowYourNeighbor.us, and sign the pledge.
