A Global Assault On Religious Liberty

[cbayer]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dougbandow/2012/04/09/a-global-assault-on-religious-liberty/

Doug Bandow, Contributor

Dictators have been falling in the Middle East, but that doesn’t mean freedom is inevitably expanding. Unfortunately, the Arab Spring has turned into something far different than hoped. Especially for religious minorities.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has released its latest report with grim news. According to USCIRF: “Across the global landscape, the pivotal human right of religious freedom was under escalating attack. To an alarming extent, freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief was being curtailed, often threatening the safety and survival of innocent persons, including members of religious minorities.”



Religious liberty matters even to people who are not religious. Everyone has a transcendent worldview. Protecting the right to believe also means protecting the right not to believe.

Moreover, religious liberty is an important indicator of political freedom and other human rights. A society and state which refuse to respect the most fundamental right of conscience in religion are unlikely to respect it elsewhere. Religious liberty is the proverbial canary in the mine. If people are oppressed because of their religious faith, they are likely to be victimized for holding other unpopular beliefs.

more at link

[MineralMan]

1. True religious liberty is exceedingly important, and

exceedingly rare. Just about every country I know of affords liberty primarily to the dominant religion in that country. Other religions get only lip service or worse. Those of no religion at all are anathema in most countries that have a dominant religion, including the USA. Religious freedom also includes the freedom to have no religious beliefs at all.

The built-in exclusivity of many religions keeps their adherents from truly believing in religious liberty in many cases. It is a regrettable fact of the modern world, and of the older world as well.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." And there you have it, in a nutshell.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

2. Religious freedom is usually restricted by... wait for it... wait for it...

RELIGION.

[eqfan592]

3. Disturbing news to say the least.

I wish I could say I was shocked by this, but I'm not.

Also, @MineralMan, very well put.