Do liberals believe in freedom of religion?

Question

I don't think they are so accepting of others as much as they say they are I mean what if my religion was sacrificing liberals to satan?

Answer 1

You're mixing up several issues.

1. Liberals like myself agree that anyone should be able to practice the religion of his choice in his own home, church, temple, mosque, or other private building. Likewise, individuals have the right to display symbols of their faith (including crosses, crescents, hexagrams, stars of David, etc...) on their person or their private property. No liberal questions this.

2. Separation of church and state does not hinder freedom of religion; it advances it. Americans embrace a variety of different faiths, and therefore it is a mistake to allow one of these faiths, even if it is the most widely practiced, to be favored or recommended by the government itself. Public schools are government-run institutions, and therefore the separation of church and state must be maintained there. This does not apply to individual expression but to school-backed religious activities. Thus, a student should be able to pray to whatever God he wants to before eating his lunch, but teachers or school administrators should not be allowed to organize a group prayer that children are required, encouraged, or even asked to participate in. To do so would be an obvious violation of church and state, which would in turn violate the first amendment rights of the children who do not practice that faith.

3. Occasionally, you do hear about a school district who goes to far and tells some kid she can't sing her song about god at a talent show, but this is rare. More often than not, it's the other way around, and Christian symbols and traditions are still given some undue favoritism in public schools in spite of this being a possible violation of first amendment rights. For example, at my son's high school, freshmen and sophomores who usually have to eat on campus are allowed to leave campus once every few months when the church across the street offers a free lunch to anyone who will listen to their sermon. Likewise, at my daughter's elementary school, they had six Christmas trees and a "Merry Christmas" sign within thirty feet of the door in mid-December, but not a single menorah even though it was actually Hanukkah already and not Christmas for another week or two.

Think of it this way: Would you be happy if Muslims or Jews were the one running the show at your children's public school? Wouldn't you be worried about them trying to convert your children? It's best to make public places, and especially those with children present, neutral.

4. As for shopping malls and department stores, they can say "Merry Christmas" all they want (although it would make more sense to only say it on December 24-25, especially since Hanukkah occurs before then.) There is no separation of church and shopping.

5. Finally, murder, assisted murder, and manslaughter are crimes, and those crimes violate other citizen's rigth to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness whether it is part of one of your religious ceremony's or not. Your right to practice your religion ends where my doorstep or nose begins.

So in conclusion, yes, liberal believe in freedom of religion. You can legally believe whatever you want to believe, and I, as a liberal, would not support any government attempt to deny you your rights to practice the religion of your choice. That does not, however, mean that you can kill or hurt others in the process. Nor does it mean that I have to respect your religion or agree with it. I can ridicule, criticize, and raise logical objections to your religion all I want, as a private citizen. It's called free speech, and it's constitutionally protected, too.

Answer 2

For years, we have had the politically correct among us, along with activist judges prohibiting freedom of religion when it comes to Christianity. Prayer in schools has been banned. Christmas participation in Colorado by Christians in their Christmas Parade has been banned. No Carol singing allowed. A 5 year old was suspended for bowing her head and saying grace over her own food.. Having a Bible in school is tantamount to drug dealing. The Ten commandments have been removed from a court house.... The list goes on. But on the other hand these rules do not apply to Moslem's, Hindus , new age, pagans .... they are given special consideration....
Don't talk to me about the liberals believing in freedom of religion.

Answer 3

I'm a nine/12, tea occasion kind. And NO, I do not consider in constructing a mosque so virtually flooring 0. NOR do I aid burning the quran. Both are the form of insensitive stupidity that promotes generations lengthy feuds.

Answer 4

This is a loaded question!

I'll use one of my favorite stereotypes to answer this.

Most liberals are human secularists by which definition they have no use for religion. Many liberals do belong to major religions, however, such as Judaism, Catholicism, Espiscopalian, etc. Their liberalism is steeped in the antiquated myth that liberalism believes in fair play and social equality by portraying conservatives as heartless neocon religious fanatics.

There may be some truth to both arguments, but witnessing the rise in secular progressives over the last 2 decades, I am inclined to believe that liberals have no use for religion except to deny Christians any voice in any matters by using the hackneyed refrain "separation of church and state".

I remember when those same liberals - and conservatives - voiced their concern that JFK would take his marching orders from the Vatican. Hysteria. Still alive and well.

Answer 5

No. They don't believe in religion. Or God. Or truth. Or your rights to any of that.
They worship Satan.

Answer 6

Do you not understand that your freedoms end where another person's nose begins?

Thomas Jefferson is the great hero of American liberals, and the freedom of religion in this country was one of his proudest legacies.

Catholics are liberals, by and large, and not typically grownups who believe in myths being literally true. And it doesn't matter that many liberals reject religion. As Jefferson said, my opinion on god neither breaks your leg nor picks your pocket, so chill out.

Answer 7

No religion condones murder. So nobody will respect your religion. I think liberals are tolerant.

Answer 8

well... I think they do... but there are lines to the freedom, just like freedom of speech..

that's where Republicans seem to get confused... just like you can't yell fire in a theatre... there are certain safegaurds that need to be taken into consideration with freedom of religion...

and sacrificing people, no matter who it is, would be a clear violation of those boundries...

Answer 9

You make an excellent point. Liberals are all for "freedom" as long as it is in line with what they think. I don't mean to be facetious, it's just true.

What if you believed, in your heart, that homosexuality was wrong? You would be labeled a homophobe and other more unsavory names. What if you believed, in your heart, that the White race was superior to other races? Once again, you would be called names and probably attacked because you did not believe like the liberal majority; whether or not you acted on your beliefs. Freedom is a double edged sword but liberals only want it to cut in their favor. I'm not down on liberals but this is a weakness in most of their characters, no matter how well meaning they are.

Answer 10

That is such an inane question.

Yes, Liberals believe in freedom of religion. Neo-Cons on the other hand only want Christianity to flourish in America.