How important is Freedom of Religion to you? Where do you begin to draw lines?

Is Freedom only for your Sect? or your Religion? Is it open to all foreign religions? To new religions? To sects you disagree with? How about specific sects (whether in Wisconsin or Saudi Arabia) that teach terrorism? Would you throw out the Flowers along with the Weeds?

How important is Freedom of Religion to you? Where do you begin to draw lines?
Very important. I will draw the line at any relgion that wants to impose its beliefs on others, but that is what freedom of religion is supposed to protect. Isn't it? The way some countries try to delegate which religion can be practiced, one has to wonder. Then again maybe it all comes down to the fact that there really isn't any freedom of religion. Interesting little tidbit you might want to contemplate - When war is declared (in the USA) the Bill of Rights becomes null and void and has to be re-enacted by congress at the cessation of war. After WWII it never was. Check the congressional records if you don't believe me. I guess its why the US government can get away with such anti-rights legislation like the Homeland Security Act.
Reply:I draw lines only at illegal activity. So long as it isn't illegal, people are allowed to do whatever they choose in the name of religion.





However, just because I defend your right to belief or do something shouldn't be taken as agreement from me. And if you're obnoxious about your religion, I will treat you as such. You have the right to behave that way, but that right doesn't make you immune to consequences.
Reply:freedom of religion means any religion.


i don't agree with the terrorist stuff any more then the next guy,


just keep in mind,


that just because a culture does not work for us, doesn't mean it isn't right for someone else.
Reply:Incredibly. It is one of the formost important rights in American History. It along with the right to bear arms.





Those 2 represent the final chack and balance. the power of the people to abolish the government of there own choosing and to re-establish it. (Article V also provides a way to do this) Freedom of religion is a part of a larger freedom, which is the freedom to have independent thoughts, ideas, etc. Essentially it is the founding fathers last measure of protection. If one party gains control of 2 branches (most likely the executive and the Legeslative.) then there are 2 final ideas unifying the people against any dictatorship that may rise.





Freedom of religion is essential to lioberty. Without it, and its associates (Speech and the like) Then there is no freedom. without ammendment 2, the citizens lose the right to defeat the governemnt. And yes Rifles and hand guns mixed with a few semi-auto weapons are indeed enough to empower a militia to defeat the american government. (Bombs dont hold much power in civil conflicts. As the LA riots so eloquentlly demonstrated.) More to the point there might be about half a million soilders in the Entire us Army. 2 or three determened states could easily defeat that right now.





Religious freedom is for everyone. The first Ammendment is what sustains the power of the people, and makes it possible for us to further our freedom as we see fit.
Reply:I have to agree with J-R. She's right, our country is supposedly founded on the basis of freedom of religion, but that freedom only seems to extend to certain religions- Christianity being the only really accepted religion.


When was the last time you saw someone criticizing a Christian because they wore a cross? My guess, is probably rare to never.


On the other hand, I wear my pentacle, and am criticized, looked at funny and even witnessed to by people that believe it's their duty to "save" me. That's not freedom of religion.
Reply:Freedom of religion is very important to me. I draw the line when someone acts in such a way as to interfere with someone else's freedom.





Teaching someone something you know to be a lie crosses the line, but I don't think it should be a crime to teach ideas as truth as long as you believe they are true.
Reply:Freedom of Religion is worth defending, even, as an absolute last resort, with deadly force. It's one thing soldiers of many countries have fought and died for. Many civilians have endured ostracism, harassment, and even martyrdom to defend Freedom of Religion. Drawing a line is tricky. England has a state Church, the Church of England of course! However no one except the ruling monarch is obliged to belong to it, the State makes no effort to push it on anyone, and to my knowledge discrimination based on religious affiliation or belief is illegal in Great Britain. So, it is definitely possible to have a state church and still have religious freedom. As far as the situation in the USA is concerned, even though I'm a Norse Heathen, if the Christians want to put their creche in the courthouse lawn during the Holiday Season, I don't care. If the government says they can but the Jews, Pagans and whoever else has a holiday toward the end of the year or the beginnning of the new year can't put up their stuff, then I'd throw fits. If a religious group or individual incites violence or terrorism, however, the government should come down on them hard. Jordsvin


http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin
Reply:answer: Absolutely important except when it teaches violence against others or insists that their religion is the only correct one and that it must be inserted into the government.





I don't care if you believe in alien souls, sacred underwear or in a trinity, just don't insist I have to believe like you do. Don't push your beliefs into the government and schools and don't try and forbid my ways of worship.
Reply:Very.





Unfortunately, this country is biased against all religions, other than Christianity ( think about all the Christian holidays that are recognized by the government, the words "under god" added to the pledge and our money, and all the religious symbols on government property, just for a start).





I wish that there were true religious freedom in this country, for every religion. Then I could openly worship Ceiling Cat.





j-r
Reply:freedom never includes the right to do harm, to humans, animals, or nature. that's the only line i draw on any type of freedom, whether of religion or the use of controlled substances.
Reply:Freedom of religion is extremely important for ALL but a line must be drawn when a "religion" teaches it's followers that it must do harm to themselves or others.
Reply:It is very important to me and I draw the line on Religions that are harmful to its followers or other that they disagree with.
Reply:I have lived in places where there is just the state religion and so I appreciate that we can even have this discussion. I lived in Eastern Europe and Turkey, so I am aware of what religious intolernace does. I was arrrested for my beliefs on several occasions. It is not a fun experience.





Needless to say I am avery big fan of the First Ammendment and appreciate it's virtues. I like to define religious freedom along the same lines that I define other freedoms. To paraphrase Ben Franklin "your rights stop at the bridge of my nose". My grandparents were very active in the 60's Civil Rights movement. They marched with MLK and were very fond of explaining to me that it was just as important to protect the free speach rights of those who opposed them, "because if they can shut them up then they can shut us up". As for religon and violence I have a simple theory - Violence is not religion, it is violence. Yet we need to be very careful how we interpret that. I am sure that residence of the cities that the "Crusaders" went through would have a very different opinion on their "liberation".





I believe that tolerance and understanding is the answer.
Reply:"Religions" who's actions fall under the guidelines that the FBI determines as cults should be eliminated.


Any religion which separates one from one's family, friends and outside associations, trains out free thought, hunts down and captures or kills followers, refuses to allow outsiders in to see what the religious group does on a day to day basis, promotes blind obedience to a religious leader and/or promotes hatred of other religions is classified as a cult. Such examples are the Branch Davidians and the followers of Jim Jones and the WBC.





Those above listed groups are not religions; they are cults.





Outside of those types of cults, freedom of religion should include all real religions (i.e. not cults).





That said, what many do not understand, here in the US about freedom of religion, is that freedom to practice one's religion ends at the listeners right to say no.





Many take religion to mean that they may use whatever means that they feel justified in doing to convert others to their religious beliefs. We see the examples all over the news and in the world where we live.





Under our Constitution, freedom of religion gives us the right to practice our faith as we see fit without government interference, BUT it also limits us in one very important way; we MAY NOT coerce, in any way, shape or form, others to our religion. It doesn't matter what that religion is.





To clarify, here are a few examples;





Jehovah's Witnesses may come to your door and ask to preach their religion to you. When you say "no", then they must leave.





Anyone may preach their religion, to all who wish to listen, in a public place. However, they may not follow or harass you into listening by following you and preaching to you if you walk away or say that you are not interested.





Anyone may post their preaching on a publicly operated web group, however, if the owners of the group say that they may not preach religious subjects (no matter what religion) on that group, then that is the rule that must be followed.





Freedom of religion safeguards us to freely practice our religions, but it also protects us from persecution and unwanted harassment from other religions or religious group.