Question by freedom fighter: Was freedom of religion a Constitutional lie?
I ask this because many people are harassed daily for their religious beliefs especially if it’s feared. if you’re american you’re SUPPOSED to have freedom to choose religion without being persecuted,harassed,or whatever. Mormons,Muslims,Amish. anyone who looks,dresses,or believes differently,yet know says a thing to nuns or priests who wear religious clothing. so where is is this freedom?
thanks all,never looked at it that way but it sure sucks that people can’t be civil and are always fearful of what they DON’T understand instead of taking the time to learn.
Best answer:
Answer by Teekno
You don’t understand what freedom of religion is.
The freedom isn’t a guarantee against harassment, or that people will like your choice of religion. It’s simply a guarantee that the government won’t take action against you based on your religious beliefs.
Give your answer to this question below!
Josh
October 21, 2011 at 5:57 pm
What the Constitution gives you is freedom of religious expression and a ban against a state religion. If someone wants to call you names, they can, because they have freedom of expression too. You do however have non-Constitutional legal guarantees against certain forms of discrimination, e.g., employment discrimination.
quizzard123
October 21, 2011 at 6:13 pm
THe constitution does not guarantee that people will not be harassed or otherwise bothered by the people. It merely says that the GOVERNMENT will not establish any religion, which has been expanded to mean that the government will not favor or limit any particular religion.
Since they don’t and haven’t done that, there is no constitutional issue.
The constitution does not and cannot control the behavior of the populace.
B
October 21, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Exactly what the first guy said, freedom of religion means that the government can’t do anything about religion. It doesn’t mean other people can’t discriminate.
Andrew
October 21, 2011 at 7:19 pm
No. Freedom of religion only states that The government cannot treat you differently because of your religion. It doesnt dictate that people have to be nice to you, because that would be against Freedom of speech.
Biohazard
October 21, 2011 at 8:16 pm
The First Amendment of the Constitution only prohibits the Congress from making laws respecting an establishment of religion. They did not want the government establishing a state church. However, you are correct. No man should ever be harassed or persecuted for his religious beliefs. We tend to fear thing that are strange or unusual to us. The Constitution protects us from the government, not from each other.