What Is Religious Freedom?

What is true religious freedom? What does that look like?

Freedom to Worship

Not every nation allows its citizens to worship any way they want to. Some are persecuted for their faith and many millions are killed. Most nations that do have freedom of religion allow for just about any religion you can imagine. This includes cults that are teaching doctrines of demons which is what Paul wrote about in 1st Timothy 4:1 “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” The risk to having freedom of religion is that anyone can call what they have a religion but not every one of them is true religion (James 1:27).

The Form of Religion

Peter wrote that “there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves” (2nd Pet 2:1) and it will only grow worse as Christ’s arrival draws near. Today there are many religions that have “the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” so we must “Avoid such people” (2nd Tim3:5) and will lead many astray by their own passionate desires (2nd Tim 3:-9).

Relationship over Religion

Christianity is not about form but substance, it is about a relationship and not religion. The relationship is with Jesus Christ and now, through Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary, we have relationship with the Father if we have repented and trusted in Christ. We also have freedom of Christ. Freedom from fear of condemnation (Rom 8:1) is gone because we have peace through Christ with God (Rom 5:1).

Religious Freedom

Religious freedom is a fundamental human right that every person on earth should have but doesn’t. Most of the English speaking nations of the world have religious freedom. Their citizens have rights and they cannot be discriminated against based upon their religious beliefs or convictions. Nations have laws that no one can restrict a person’s religious observances, as far as it does not break local, state, or federal laws. For those who have had this right for many generations they may take it for granted but religious freedom is the notion that people of religion can freely partake of the practices of their religion without opposition and that freedom of religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private. That freedom must include the freedom to not worship in any religion.

Freedom Defined

The International Religious Freedom Act gives at least five indicators of where religious freedom is compromised and that is when local, state, or national authorities:

restrict the right to hold a religious belief;

limit the right to change religious belief;

restrict the freedom to have an allegiance to a religious leader;

disparage individuals or groups on the basis of their religion;

and when they discriminate against religious persons in education, the military, employment opportunities or in health services. Freedom of religion is also compromised when they restrict religious assembly and religious expression.

Conclusion

In the West, most of us have religious freedom and freedom to have no religion. We don’t realize that in some places in the world it is dangerous and even deadly to hold to another faith. In some cases, people are arrested, tortured, they jobs are lost, their family disowns them, and they might even be killed and this is the actual case every single day and every minute of the day, 24/7. We should thank God that we have religious freedom and if you’re an atheist or agnostic, you should thank the founding fathers (if that were possible) for the freedom to not worship. That is true religious freedom.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.