Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Says Hobby Lobby 'Affirmed Right of Conscience'

Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, has issued a statement regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on the Hobby Lobby case: By ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court affirmed the distinct God-given right of conscience and religious freedom, which empowers the individual to embrace life, advance liberty and pursue happiness without having to sacrifice faith or conscience on the altar of expediency."

Rodriguez continues, explaining, "For that matter, I do believe that while this outcome validates this fundamental right, the many threats in both culture and society make religious liberty the quintessential civil rights issue of the 21st century. For people of faith, this decision requires both celebration and a renewed commitment to vigilance, as today's complacency is tomorrow's captivity." The Hobby Lobby decision allows small organizations to opt out of providing birth control for employees on the basis of religious freedom.

The NHCLC is the largest Hispanic Christian organization representing millions of Evangelicals, 40,118 U.S churches and more than 500,000 churches across the globe. Seeking to reconcile evangelist Billy Graham'smessage of salvation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s march of prophetic activism, the NHCLC emphasizes "7 Directives" of Life, Family, Compassionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Education and Youth. For additional information, visit http://www.nhclc.org.