Freedom of religion

This is the general assembly of the United Nations, the UN. Here, in 1948, a decision was made to protect everyone’s human rights, and a document was written about it: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is what’s written in there about the right to freedom of religion. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Most of The UN’s member countries stand behind this document, and that means that in these countries the right of freedom of religion is to be protected by law.

So you have the legal right to belong to any religion you want to. You also have the right to change religion, leave a religion, or choose to have no religion at all, if you want, as well as to choose to practice your religion on your own or together with others. These words: “freedom of thought” and “conscience” mean that other views of life that are not religious are also protected. For instance, you don’t need to take part in a war, if you are against military violence - if you are a pacifist. Sometimes people misinterpret ‘freedom of religion’ to mean that this allows religious persons special benefits, so that they don’t need to follow the same laws as everyone else.

It’s not that. Freedom of religion does not mean: [1] That religions and other views of life should have a legal right not to be criticized. On the contrary: laws that limit the freedom of speech by forbidding criticism of a god or a religion also limit the freedom of religion. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech go together. [2] That you are allowed to say anything in the name of your religion. No one is allowed to incite war or violence.

Every state has a responsibility to prevent such incitements. [3] That you have the right to avoid seeing other people's religious expressions. Everyone has the right to express their beliefs - religious or not - in private, as well as in public. At the same time, everyone has the right to not take part in other people’s religious expression, so this expression may be visible, but not forced upon others. Sometimes it’s hard to know when the boundary is crossed, between not forced and forced. [4] That religions have rights over their followers. Every person has the right to their own freedom of religion, and may never be exposed to religious force.

Anyone who has left a religion is not be harassed or threatened because of it. [5] That one person has the right to control another person’s religious practice, or that parents have the right to force their religion on their children. [6] That anyone may violate other human rights by using their religion as an excuse. Freedom of religion does not mean that a state, group, or person has the right to diminish anyone else’s freedom or rights. Although the UN-declaration is a part of the international rules of human rights, the interpretation of it varies from country to country. And unfortunately there are still many countries that completely lack freedom of religion.