Secy. Hughes Speaks At Conference On Faith and Service

Wednesday, Karen Hughes, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, spoke (full text) in Washington at the first International Conference on Faith and Service. Here are some excerpts:

[S]ome might question why a government official, especially one from a nation that prides itself on the separation of church and state, would be asked to speak at a conference on interfaith dialogue.... Why would a government -- a United States Government official convene a meeting of religious leaders? And the answer is both simple and profound. It's because faith plays such a critical role in the lives of so many people across our world. Governments would be foolish to ignore its power and impact or to leave the floor only to those who seek to use religion as a force to divide or destroy....

Voices from our diverse faith communities, such as those represented here today, are often the most credible voices to say that terror and violence are not a matter of religion at all. When you think about it in its starkest terms, urging young people to strap bombs on their bodies, to kill themselves, and in the process try to kill as many other innocents as possible, is not a legitimate tenet of any faith....

Promoting religious freedom is a central element of the President's agenda for democracy and freedom across our world.... We must not rest in this effort, nor ever forget those who are persecuted for their beliefs and denied the rights of conscience that we sometimes take for granted here in the United States.