Question by Jeffrey B: Is it Freedom of religion or freedom to dictate other religions and beliefs?
We see this allot. I personally think it is out of hand now. If someone expresses their religion in or at a public place or if a memorial is set up and that shows a cross why are people taking offense to this? I was brought up that if you see something you do not like ignore, or avoid it and move on. I was told that was my right. Now you see people getting sued all the time because they do not want people to publicly practice their religion.
Best answer:
Answer by kaganate
In these cases the specifics are very important —
The key is the consitutional structure of “religious freedom” which has two parts:
Government can not prevent people from practicing a religion or establish an official religion. So – to relate it to some real cases:
A school ball team has a prayer “in the huddle” — this feels like an imposition of religion from above (kids pressured into praying by a school official)
But on the other hand – if a single football player prays before the game – this is protected religious worship.
Or — memorials – a town builds a memorial with an overal religious symbol on it – the implication is that this is a message of an official town religion — Government establishing a religion — a no-no
Conversely – private businesses in the town putting up the same religious symbol on their property – that’s free practice and protected.
As an overal rule, imagine if the symbol was of a religion you are uncomfortible with — would you feel pressured?
So – for a last example – people may not notice anything wrong with a Christian motto on school jackets. So then – would the same folks be as comfortible if the school uniform included a Hijab?
What do you think? Answer below!
WellTraveledProg
December 2, 2011 at 5:54 pm
You seem rather confused.
Nobody *cares* if somebody expresses their religion in a public place. Go right ahead. Look as silly as you want to. If, however, somebody tries to use public funds or government employees or services to endorse their particular religion, well that’s unconstitutional.
You can also put up any silly religions monument (like a cross) you want to — with your own money and on your own land. On public/government land, and/or with public/government funds — that’s unconstitutional, and is not allowed.
The constitution prohibits the government from endorsing or promoting any religion. That’s for YOUR protection, genius — it’s what allows ALL religions freedom from government interference. If the government acted on behalf of ANY one religion, it would be disrciminatory against all other religions (and those who lack religion).
You can do anything you want to with your religion, any time you want to, in public or in private. You just can’t use government people, money, or property to promote or endorse your religion. Clear enough?
Peace.
Gulikop
December 2, 2011 at 6:24 pm
I agree with kaganate’s answer and would also like to mention that if there is a cross on public property then it requires maintenance and this maintenance is paid for by taxes and that forces non christians to support a religion they do not follow. What you are talking about is people getting in trouble for pushing their religion on others not for practicing it in public.
Godless liberal
December 2, 2011 at 6:53 pm
I don’t want to see the 10 commandments in a publicly owned place(not just a public place, but like a court house, if you want a statue of them at your house that’s fine) just like you don’t want me to put up a statue of Calvin peeing on the 10 commandments.
The problem is that is public land, its both mine and yours, sure you can stand there and talk about your religion, but you can’t use public funds(my tax dollars) to build a monument to your silly myths, unless your also going to allow me to erect monuments about my beliefs(hence Calvin peeing on your monument)
basically the issue boils down to using public funds to build religious symbols(unconstitutional) first off. then there’s a secondary issue about things you can do with your own funds on shared public land, if you buy a 10 commandments monument yourself and put it up, I’ll just buy the Calvin statue, see how that gets out of hand really quick? especially when you think about all the various religions in the country. All our public land would be filled with religious symbols and anti-religious symbols.
How about instead, you keep your religion to yourself, and I’ll keep my ideas about how dumb religion is to myself(speaking about fixed items on public lands that is, your still welcome to street preach, and I’m still welcome to laugh at you while you do it)