The first idea I want to make clear is freedom of religion is not as much about worshipping the way you choose as it is about tolerating others methods of worship. America like most nations has a set of laws or rules in which we follow to make life as care free as possible and our freedoms go as far as the law allows and no further, so we know that there are limits to our acting out our beliefs, limits such as doing anything to another person no matter who, that infringes on their rights. One cannot have human sacrifice or beat others and call it a religious freedom since they infringe on the rights of the victim. As I stated the idea of religious freedom is less about our worship than it is about acceptance of others chosen method of worship within the law.
The second idea of religion is that it is not involved in our government, this does not mean we have no religion, just that no specific church or temple or whatever has any more say in the governing of people than anyone else. This is the separation of church and state. No church has a seat in congress or on the Supreme Court and that is all, this means. Every time we stop our children from reading about religion in any way, any place or practicing their faith in any way we breach the First Amendment. The moment we forget our laws are based on a religious idea of a common good we succumb to evil. The American court system has a basis in the Ten Commandments, which is a fact and always will be, to deny that fact is a fool’s pursuit and always will be. For the record Atheism is another choice of religion and those that choose it have a right to it as we have, that choose differently and they have no right to force others to change as others have no right to force change upon them.
Another way to put this idea is that in America we allowed to choose whatever religion we think is best and should be free of criticism of a physical nature from the rest of the population. Of course with the freedom of speech idea anyone can share values and ideas including hate speech since we are free to speak as we choose. We should always remember that we are free to listen or not also and since we cannot physically force ideas on others they are free to voice an opinion or simply walk away. So when someone says something offensive the correct course of action is to either reply without incitement or simply walk away and when someone disagrees it is not the right of the person who is being challenged to physically point out they disagree, either state calmly that they disagree or walk away. The point is when disagreement about religion reaches a point that physical involvement with each other seems like a solution. That is the moment when the freedom of religion and freedom of speech is breeched.
This nation was built on the idea that we are a free people, freedom means choice and diversity means many choices and disagreements. That in its self is OK, disagreement brings change and change brings progress all good for society. It is not until small minded people point out whom is to blame for circumstance out of control of most people. A religion is never to blame in itself for violence and most people would prefer to be left to make their choices without harming anyone so I ask why are so many people in this country being killed over ideas such as freedom of speech or religion? The answer is simple really, we as a people have forgotten what freedom means, making choices and in bad times, such as they have been in this country for some time it is easier to blame others for our problems than truly solve them. Weak men who prey on others for power and wealth seem to point us at who to blame when of course they are to blame for their own crimes as we are for ours.
We see men and women pointing at others religion and saying they are to blame or at a skin color and screaming they are why you are poor, when in reality social station in this nation is not fixed and can be changed with hard work and determination. Skin color is a matter of pigment and nothing else and religion is a personal choice and nothing else, there are no crimes associated with either and yet we as a people spend so much of our time dwelling on the inconsequential idea of race or religion. Those that are to blame for our social issues are usually the ones with their fingers pointed and their mouths open, spewing hatred of someone or something, the point you might ask is this, The crime is not in speaking or having a specific faith but in acting on the hate of others and physically stopping another from choosing their faith or speaking their mind.
The next time someone tells you who to hate, laugh and walk away and when we all do the same this world will be a better place.