Carol Platt Liebau: As Religious Liberty Erodes

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

The essence of parenthood is the right—indeed, the duty—to raise children according to one’s deepest values. That includes teaching them religion.

In Europe, that right is under attack. Since 2022, the Samson family has been fighting to regain custody of their daughters. The Swedish government took the girls, citing the family’s religious faith. 

The saga began when the oldest daughter, upset about being denied makeup and a smartphone, made a false abuse claim she quickly retracted. The police found no evidence of abuse. But the state took both girls, claiming “religious extremism” because the family attended church three times a week and raised their daughters in a strict religious home.

The girls want to go home but the government plans to put them up for adoption.

It’s a sobering reminder: religious liberty should never be taken for granted. 

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