Proselytization Clarification

Rob (below) worries about my statement (below Rob's) that:

Many reasonable people, in many religious traditions, have expressed concerns about aggressive and otherwise unworthy "proselytization" efforts. And, many of us might concede that a government could have a common-good interest in taking steps to expose such efforts, in order to protect the freedom-of-conscience of its citizens.

I could not agree more with Rob that (almost) any efforts by government to restrict the efforts of believers to call others to "conversion" should be condemned and resisted. By "exposing" "unworthy" efforts, I meant only to say that I have no problem using anti-fraud laws, etc., to expose charlatans who prey on the vulnerable ("Join my Church of the Unbreakable Ankle and send me all your money!"). As for "unworthy" proselytization efforts, Rob is quite right to remind us that bells should be ringing, and red flags waving like crazy, when anyone suggests that full-throated and committed evangelization is unworthy or inappropriate in a democracy. I meant only to echo John Paul II (no slouch when it comes to defending religious freedom and evangelization) and the Council Fathers. While I agree with Rob that the class of speech government ought to stay most removed from is witnessing, evangelization, etc., I am also willing to sign on to the following, from Dignitatis humanae:

Religious communities also have the right not to be hindered in their public teaching and witness to their faith, whether by the spoken or by the written word. However, in spreading religious faith and in introducing religious practices everyone ought at all times to refrain from any manner of action which might seem to carry a hint of coercion or of a kind of persuasion that would be dishonorable or unworthy, especially when dealing with poor or uneducated people. Such a manner of action would have to be considered an abuse of one's right and a violation of the right of others.

This understanding of "unworthy efforts" might cover a *bit* more than "outright fraud" or "physical coercion," but not much. I appreciate Rob's "calling" me on this.

Rick

UPDATE: See above. Rob's right.