What does right to freedom of religion mean?

Answer 1

The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution specifically prohibits the congress from making any laws "respecting an establishment of religion" (the "Establishment Clause") or any laws that prohibit the free exercise of religion (the "Free Exercise Clause"). These rights were guaranteed to all Americans over 200 years ago by some very wise men, and many, many Americans have shed their blood in defense of these and other guaranteed rights. Many other nations have similar laws respecting religious freedom, but many do not.

I believe that your freedom to swing your arm ends where the other fellow's nose begins.

I believe that religious freedom means that any person, anywhere, should be able to worship, or not worship, god or gods, as he or she chooses, without interference or intrusion by or from anyone else, so long as what they do hurts no one else. Period.

This, to me, means that Shia and Sunni Muslims ought not to be calling one another heretics and killing one another, any more than Catholic and Protestant Christians should be calling one another heretics and killing one another, as they did for centuries. Orthodox Christians ought not to be excommunicating Roman Catholics and vice versa. Orthodox Jews ought not to be insisting that they are more Jewish than Conservative or Reformed Jews. For that matter, if a Jew converts to Christianity or a Christian to Judaism, then that person becomes a member of that religion, no matter whether they were born to it or not.

Hindus, Buddhists, Wiccans, Sikhs, heck, anybody I've forgotten including even Atheists and Satanists ought to be allowed to believe whatever they want, and practice their beliefs (or not) however they want, so long as they are not hurting anyone else. I personally draw the line at human sacrifice and forced sex. There should never be victims. Otherwise don't question my religion and I won't question yours. But if you must question my religion, please don't punch me in the nose, because that's just not nice, and you learned THAT in kindergarten!

Answer 2

That you have the right to believe in whom- or whatever you want. See Islam, Budhism, christianity etc.