Freedom Of Religion Term Paper Examples

It goes without question that for coexistence in any society, there is a need for certain values which should guide the conduct of individuals in that society. One of the core societal values is the freedom of religion with the right for everyone to practice his or her own faith. Freedom of religion can be defined as the right to exercise religious choices and options as one desires without being blamed or condemned for exercising such options. In other words, it refers to the right to self-determination with regards to religious matters. Freedom of religion goes hand in hand with the right for everyone to practice his or her own faith. It implies the ability to exercise that freedom. The manifestation of exercising this freedom is the practicing of one’s faith as he or she desires.
Freedom of religion and the right to practice one’s faith go a long way in ensuring that the society functions smoothly. Most religions advocate for values that humanity should embrace for society to be a better place with harmonious coexistence. When one is allowed to freely exercise their freedom of religion, they will most likely embrace those positive values which are inherent in all free religions. The net effect will be that society as a whole will benefit as it will be comprised of individuals who adopt the required values for the smooth functioning of society.
It is also important to recognize the fact that man is a social being. Arguably, an individual is more fulfilled as a result of interacting with others as compared to if that individual was isolated from other people due to individualization. It must be remembered that excessive individualization greatly impedes the smooth functioning of society. This is because in excessive individualization, the focus is one the self. Consequently, people may engage in both good and bad activities both good which are only aimed at benefitting themselves. It goes without question that where one focuses only on his interests in all his undertakings, then this is bound to result in harm to other persons. However, the freedom of religion and the right to exercise one’s faith are mitigating measures to the challenges posed by excessive individualization. This is because in as much as it is an individual freedom, more often than not, people will exercise this freedom together with others. The end result is that they are instilled with a sense of belonging and a degree of altruism which makes them mind about others. In the long run, this ultimately culminates in the smooth functioning of the society.
If the society fails to respect people’s freedom of religion as well their right to practice their own faith, the end result will be societal strain and its attendant ills. People who are denied the right to exercise freedom of religion may even turn out be extremists or radicals of the same religion. Additionally, they will look for ways to exercise this freedom and the end result may be religious strife between various individuals in the society. History is full of examples of lives which have been lost due to religious intolerance which is one of the ways in which the freedom of religion is suppressed. It is, therefore incumbent upon all persons and institutions to ensure that freedom of religion is upheld and respected.