What do you think it means for people to have freedom of religion?
(My answer)
Freedom of religion is just that, you are free to be religious or not. You are free to choose to worship God, god, gods, self, cat, dog, mouse, donkey, etc. You don't have to go to church on Sunday, the government cannot tell you you have to be Baptist (for example) nor can laws force you to bow a knee to the perfered God.
What it does not entitle you to be is free from religion. I have just as much right as you do, I can assemble on the courthouse lawn in prayer. I can pray while in school, I can read the bible in the police station.
2006-10-31 02:08:24 · 14 answers · asked by newcovenant0 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The freedom to believe in what you want without government pushing religions on you.
I agree with your take on it, as long as it doens't include government promotion. I don't mind you assembling for prayer at the courthouse as long as you don't put up a permanent monument to your god. I think you should be free to pray in school, as long as you don't interfere with the school's function and as long as it isn't a teacher leading the prayer. I think that if you are allowed to read a book in the police station, you should be allowed to choose to read the Bible. If they take away all books from people, for whatever reason, you shouldn't get special priviledge because it happens to be that book.
2006-10-31 02:10:51 · answer #1 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you have freedom to practice your religion. You can read a bible at the police station and you can pray in school. However, the school (if it is a public school) cannot say "Ok, everyone, time to pray". They can't even say "Ok, a moment of silence for those who want to pray now". That is the school endorsing religion, and if your religious beliefs do not include prayer, then it is the school enforcing religion because it is expected of you to pray or be silent and watch the praying people. If you expect to be treated nicer at a police station because you read a bible, then you are expecting those who do not read the bible to be treated more harshly. You can assemble on the courthouse lawn and pray but you can't expect the courthouse to disrupt any of its activities to allow you to do so.
Practice your religion however you want, but do not expect your religion to be enforced upon others.
2006-10-31 10:19:27 · answer #2 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe we truely have freedom of religion in the US. If you're not mainstream, people look down on you. Christians, Jews, even Muslim, they're more recognized and tolerated. But if you're Pagan, Athiest, Ba'hai (spelling?) or Scientologist, people discriminate. Based mostly on how the media has protrayed the less well known religions. As long as we have a Christian in the White House, and in most government positions, we won't have true freedom to worship as we chose. Prayer in school should be allowed, but to ANY god, or the lack thereof. I'm not against any one religion, Im for equality for all religions!
2006-10-31 10:30:15 · answer #3 · answered by Angel S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Freedom in religion is all that youve mentioned. I totally agree.
Even being free of religion is apart of giving freedom in religion to people, because the word freedom is just that...freedom ^^
But religion and practice are different things.
If a man says hes gonna have to sacrifice a few people cause its his religious faith to do so, am sorry but Im not going to sit around and let that happen.
Religious freedom should be the case as long as it does not harm anyone else.
Peace
2006-10-31 10:13:31 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree. No one says that you have to be free from religion. You have a legal right to do all of those things you listed. The key is, the government cannot sanction any of those actions that you, as an individual, take. The would violate one of the two clauses of the Freedom of Religion clause in the 1st Amendment. (There are two- freedom to exercise and no establishment)
2006-10-31 10:13:56 · answer #5 · answered by William B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'll tell ya what I don't think it means... freedom to discriminate against anybody of different beliefs or ways! Yet, ya know so many religious people do it all the time - not just in mind but also in deed. That's just so very wrong.
2006-10-31 10:19:25 · answer #6 · answered by Alex62 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have the right to be and do anything you want as long as you do it in your space and it does not infringe upon others against their will. Gods law,will force you to willingly bow to GOD. but not a visible law administered by man or because a man said Obey or else.All the events you mentioned i agree with so long as no one is forced to participate with you or listen as on a pa system.
2006-10-31 10:34:25 · answer #7 · answered by Weldon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in this day, thereis no such thing as freedom.i have spent all day on these pages and witnessed peoples freedom of speech being bashed down by anothers beliefs or downright cruel remarks being made of other religions. plain and simple bullying that is all these pages are used for, freedom is supposed to mean saying what you want without negative consequences, that doesnt exist
2006-10-31 10:13:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That would be freedom of religion. Not to discriminate those of a different belief.
2006-10-31 10:15:00 · answer #9 · answered by Reported for insulting my belief 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only in your mind should you be allowed freedom of religion. When I see 12 thousand churches in MY town I feel violated
2006-10-31 10:11:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋