Unveiling an annual report on the global status of religious freedom, Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday reinforced America’s commitment to promoting freedom of religion worldwide, and pledged to push restrictive countries – including U.S. allies — toward expanded rights even if it makes them “uncomfortable.” In brief remarks at the State Department briefing room, Kerry touted the annual report as a “clear-eyed, objective look at the state of religious freedom around the world” and a catalogue of “discrimination and violence in countries ranging from established democracies to entrenched dictatorships.” He stressed the historic American struggle for religious freedom, and acknowledged “we have at times had to push and work and struggle to fully live up to the promise of our founding.” Among the countries detailed in the report as restrictive of religious liberty include Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and several U.S Continue reading →