What is Religious Freedom?

Question

Where does one's religious freedom start and ends?
When does one's freedom of speech conflict with another person's religious freedom?
Does telling somebody to convert to another religious take away his/her religious freedom?
When somebody says to another person that his/her religion is not way to reach god an insult to his/her religion?

Does giving somebody money to convert takes away their religious freedom?

Answer 1

Freedom of religion, as proscribed in the Constitution, means that you can practice your religion as you see fit. The government cannot say that sacrificing chickens is illegal. However, you cannot force your religion, by virtue of the ballot box or any other means, upon anyone else.

Freedom of speech means that you can proselytize all you want. Freedom of speech never conflicts with another's freedom of religion. WHAT you say is irrelevant, it is protected speech. What you BELIEVE is also irrelevant, as it is your freedom of religion. The two are not mutually exclusive.

What you say can never diminish another's religious freedom. As to insulting another's religion, you are free to insult it all you want. Your freedom of speech cannot be abridged because you say that Jesus was gay. You can say it, and anyone else can believe it or not.

Get it? The two have nothing to do with each other.

Answer 2

Freedom of religion is like any of the other freedoms we are guaranteed. "My rights end where someone else's begins" You can't tell someone they can't practice their religion. That is protected by the first amendment. You can talk to them about your own religion or discuss it but its best that they are willing to listen. You shouldn't try to push something on them. Put yourself in their position and think about how you would feel if someone was doing the same thing to you. This would be a good guideline to go by also to determine exactly what is religious freedom and what is not. By telling someone what they believe is wrong or that they are not takin the right path to reach God will most likely be taken as an insult. Bc you are in a way insulting whatever their belief is and telling them they are wrong.

Answer 3

This is a great question, and a really important one too.

My opinion (obviously) : There's two ways people often read this. 1) The laws of the land guarantee freedom OF religion, or 2) they guarantee freedom FROM religion.

I read the U.S. constitution at least to be a freedom OF religion, to practice one's religion of choice unhindered. As with all fo our freedoms, though, it is implied and interpreted regularly that a person's rights end where other's rights begin. I have the freedom to say what I want, therefore, until that speech puts another's life or rights in jeopardy, e.g. I cannot yell "Fire!" in a crowded building for the likely result of trampling. I have the right to peaceably assemble, but not on your lawn if it is against your wishes. One's rights also end where the general well-being of the society is at stake. Therefore, a religion that demanded virgin sacrifices, however willingly (and utterly mindblowingly) offered would not be permitted.

So, by the same logic, if my religious beliefs do not deprive you of your basic rights, it may be freely practiced. Here's the crux of it then: Do those who are not of Person A's religion have the right to not be confronted with Person A's practice of it in public. Does Person B in this case have any of their liberties taken away? Not likely. They have the right to be offended, turned off, bothered, to laugh, make snide remarks, whatever, but I don't see any personal liberties that could normally be lost, really. They might claim harassment, but then that would have to be explicitly defined as well.

Proselytization (attempts to bring about converts) is a touchy subject for many, but I don't see it in any way as depriving one of their own freedom. Those who are approached should first of all remember that many religions seek converts because they are 1) commanded to, and 2) are legitimately concerned for the eternal welfare of others. At the very least, they are engaging in the sharing of philosophies and other ideas. I sure hope that's never illegal!

And as far as the insult question, yes, it might be. But that's not illegal either. Tactless, perhaps, but illegal? No.

I don't like being this long-winded as this was, but I hope that it helped.

Answer 4

Freedom is the right to choose your own beliefs and religion regardless of what other people think. The only way to take away a person's religious freedom is by taking away their choice.

Answer 5

We should be repectful of others beliefs, even if they are not our own. How dare someone have the audacity to tell another that what they believe is wrong. That is considered an insult. Im not sure if there is such thing as "religious freedom," however, I do believe that freedom, regardless of its content, comes from within. We must be comfortable with what God has put on our tables and accept ourselves and others for who we are; humans.

Answer 6

The freedom of one individual ends when it infringes upon the rights of another.

There is no such thing as freedom of speech conflicting with freedom of religion, unless a religious entity seeks to silence certain speech in the name of an arbitrary moral code. You should be able to say whatever you want, but you can't force anyone to listen.

You have a right to proselytize as freedom of speech, but again you can't force anyone to listen.

Anyone has a right to think whatever she wishes about another religion. You don't have any right to not be offended, but you do have a right to ignore, retaliate or simply remove yourself from an unwanted situation.

Answer 7

4 me, religious freedom is a person without branding himself 2 any religion. And he go round participating all religious occasion in order not 2be for or against anyone. He can also keep 2himself. Some call themself- Freethinker

Answer 8

I feel that freedom of religion is the freeman that we are able to enjoy in our United States. The freedom to choose whatever religion that you want and the freedom to attend publicly your choice of religious meetings.
No one should make fun or ban any religion that anyone wants to attend and believe in.

Answer 9

The freedom of religion clause in the bill of right specifically was for the Right to go and worship when and where you pleased.
The Church was not allowed to be ruler of the state and force penalties on their people for not tithing or following church rules.

That was why the freedom of religion was put in there...

Answer 10

a real freedom for all of us: (1) We will have God Spirit in our minds. (2) We will establish and develop our freedom on the basis of Law. (3) We will have rights to dream and have rights to work hard to achieve our dreams. During the course of achieving our dreams, a freedom world will let us have helping hands all over the world. (4) We only have One Earth, We are living in One World. We will establish and develop our freedom in our One world, and enjoy equality, love, care and respect each other.

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