Americans MUST Respect The Freedom of Thought and Religion

If we don’t, the long-term prospects of the First Amendment aren’t promising

Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash

People and communities of faith should have the right to their respective beliefs and practices (including on sensitive and controversial issues).

And they should have the right to live out these beliefs — ESPECIALLY in their own homes and within their own voluntary faith communities — free from hatred and harassment.

We can and should have an open, honest, and robust debate over how and to what extent faith-based values and beliefs should enter or influence the marketplace and/or public square, but…

There should be little to NO debate over the right of faith-based individuals to practice their beliefs within their own lives, their own homes, and within the confines of their own voluntary communities (including houses of worship as well as private schools, colleges, and universities).

It’s one thing to argue that one faith or religion shouldn’t predominate over all of society — against the wishes of the people.

It’s quite another to argue that YOUR values and beliefs (however right you think you are) should predominate over all people and communities of faith.

If you don’t respect the freedom of thought, speech, and religion for others, then you don’t believe in freedom — except for perhaps yourself.

And if that’s the case, then you don’t really believe in freedom or tolerance.