Comments about ‘Q&A about 'First Freedom' documentary with Matthew Holland’

I watched the documentary and thought it was very well done.

Mr. Holland, on how well we live the Founders' vision of religious liberty:

"... there’s been a certain sort of contraction ... religious people may feel increasingly confined in their abilities to feel like they can freely speak their mind about certain religious convictions .... But even in areas with respect to public prayer and other things, there’s been perhaps something of a receding, if you will, of certain aspects of religious liberty." Could this answer get weaker?

I don't know what "other things" he means, but here are his concrete examples of contraction:

1. "Religious people may feel increasingly confined.” Not they're not actually confined, but they feel confined, increasingly. How? In their ability to “feel like they can freely speak." Not confined to actually speak, but to *feel like* they can. About what? “Certain religious convictions.” None specified.

2. On public prayer, “perhaps” there is “something of a receding, if you will.” Not actual receding, “something of a receding.” Perhaps. On public prayer. Which, for many Americans, would be an increase, not decrease, in religious liberty.

That's Mr. Holland's entire analysis of the American religious project.