A Comparison

It is difficult for me to pay attention to the people on the political far right, especially the religious extremists. Almost all of what they say seems nonsensical to me.

Ted Cruz once said:

There is an assault on faith and an assault on religious liberty that we see across this country, and it has never been as bad as it is right now. When it comes to this aspect of religious liberty — driving any acknowledgement of God out of the public square — you have radical atheist and liberals who go to the court system and try to tear down long-standing monuments.

Others also claim that there are attacks on religious liberty:

National Conference Will Equip Christians to Defend Faith and Preserve Religious Liberty:

An abortion industry exposed for evil. Attacks on religious liberties. Radical activists working to break down the millennia-old institutions of marriage and family.

If Colleges Allow Atheist Professors They Can Allow College Football Christian Chaplains, ACLJ Argues:

"If the angry atheists at FFRF bring lawsuits against any of these universities, the ACLJ stands ready to ensure that FFRF maintains its long record of court defeats. Angry atheists will not be allowed to trample religious liberty on campus," the ACLJ stated.

Religious Liberty and Expression Under Attack: Restoring America’s First Freedoms:

Abstract: Religious freedom is one of the core principles upon which the American system of government is based. And yet religious freedom in America is under assault: Politicians mock the faithful’s claims of religious conscience, while government entities and actors treat religious freedom and expression as obstacles to be overcome rather than as important values to protect. Individuals of all faiths or none, and from all points on the political and ideological spectrum, should be alarmed at the mounting assault on the free exercise of religion and freedom of religious expression. The erosion of one constitutional right—especially one as fundamental as religious liberty and the freedom of speech—may serve as a precedent for the erosion of other rights to the detriment of all Americans.

There are countless organizations and people saying these kinds of things. It's all bunk. Religious freedom is alive and well in the United States.

Let's examine a part of the political landscape in the United States:

For GOP candidates, better to be with pope than against him:

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a devout Catholic, will attend Mass with Francis in Washington. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another Catholic candidate, plans to attend one of the pope’s East Coast events.

“He is a moral authority and as a moral authority is reminding us of our obligation to be good caretakers of the planet,” Rubio, a practicing Catholic, said at the time.

...Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator and devout Catholic, who was scheduled to be on a campaign trip to Iowa.

After John Kerry, a Catholic...

And that's just some of the Catholics. It doesn't include all the other politicians. Can you name one atheist politician? Can you name one gay politician? Why are the religious so afraid of the "angry atheist"? Is it because we have so much political clout?

Like I said this is nonsensical. Somehow political candidates fawning over the Pope translates into: Politicians mocking the faithful’s claims of religious conscience.