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margin: 0 0 0.5em 0.5em; text-align:left; border: 1px solid #484329; width:175px;"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; color:White; background-color:#484329"><b>Preach to the choir</b><br /><a href="/wiki/Religion" title="Religion"><font size="4" color="White"><b>Religion</b></font></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#c9c69d;" align="center"><a href="/wiki/Category:Religion" title="Category:Religion"><img alt="Icon religion.svg" src="/w/images/thumb/b/b7/Icon_religion.svg/100px-Icon_religion.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" srcset="/w/images/thumb/b/b7/Icon_religion.svg/150px-Icon_religion.svg.png 1.5x, /w/images/thumb/b/b7/Icon_religion.svg/200px-Icon_religion.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" /></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:White; background-color:#484329; text-align:center;"><b>Crux of the matter</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#c9c69d;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Judaism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Islam" title="Islam">Islam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Buddhism" title="Buddhism">Buddhism</a></li></ul> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:White; background-color:#484329; text-align:center;"><b>Speak of the devil</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#c9c69d;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Satanism" title="Satanism">Satanism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Atheism" title="Atheism">Atheism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Antitheism" title="Antitheism">Antitheism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Agnosticism" title="Agnosticism">Agnosticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deism" title="Deism">Deism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secularism" class="mw-redirect" title="Secularism">Secularism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Humanism" title="Humanism">Humanism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">Paganism</a></li></ul> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:White; background-color:#484329; text-align:center;"><b>An act of faith</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#c9c69d;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dogma" title="Dogma">Dogma</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Guru" title="Guru">Guru</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hindutva" title="Hindutva">Hindutva</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Myth" title="Myth">Myth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sophisticated_theology" title="Sophisticated theology">Sophisticated theology</a></li></ul> <div class="vte plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Religion" title="Template:Religion">v</a> - <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Religion" title="Template talk:Religion">t</a> - <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Religion&action=edit">e</a></div> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table class="messagebox mb-brainwatermark mb-warning-orange" style=""> <tbody><tr> <td class="mb-image"><a href="/wiki/File:Warning_icon_orange.svg" class="image"><img alt="Warning icon orange.svg" src="/w/images/thumb/4/4f/Warning_icon_orange.svg/50px-Warning_icon_orange.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="50" srcset="/w/images/thumb/4/4f/Warning_icon_orange.svg/75px-Warning_icon_orange.svg.png 1.5x, /w/images/thumb/4/4f/Warning_icon_orange.svg/100px-Warning_icon_orange.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="400" /></a> </td> <td class="mb-text"><b>This page contains too many unsourced statements and needs to be improved</b>. <hr /> <p><b>Freedom of religion</b> could use some help. Please research the article's assertions. Whatever is credible should be sourced, and what is not should be removed. </p> </td></tr></tbody></table> <div role="note" class="hatnote">For the abuse of the concept of freedom of religion as a cover for intolerance, see <a href="/wiki/Religious_freedom" title="Religious freedom">religious freedom</a>.</div> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned: yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—<a href="/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson" title="Thomas Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a>, <i>Notes on the State of <a href="/wiki/Virginia" class="mw-redirect" title="Virginia">Virginia</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Freedom of religion</b> is the <a href="/wiki/Human_rights" title="Human rights">right</a> to worship (or not worship) in any manner you choose. </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#As_a_basic_freedom"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">As a basic freedom</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#Codification"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Codification</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="#Freedom_from_religion"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Freedom <i>from</i> religion</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="#Criticisms"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Criticisms</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="As_a_basic_freedom">As a basic freedom</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: As a basic freedom">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>Freedom of <a href="/wiki/Religious" class="mw-redirect" title="Religious">religious</a> worship is included as a specific case of freedom of expression and <a href="/wiki/Freedom_of_speech" title="Freedom of speech">freedom of speech</a>. In general, what a person believes doesn't actively harm others, yet holding and espousing any number of beliefs may expose that same person to persecution. To address this, freedom of religion is a <a href="/wiki/Constitution" title="Constitution">protected right</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Codification">Codification</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Codification">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a> — since the Constitution was drafted in the 1890s, section 116 has prohibited establishing, imposing, or restricting any religious practice, or religious tests for office.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3">[3]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a> — Codified since 1890, in the constitution since 1946.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> — Freedom of religion is a constitutionally-protected "fundamental freedom" according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, subject to "reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society".</li> <li><a href="/wiki/China" title="China">China</a> — The Constitution of 1982 grants freedom of, and from, religion to all of its citizens. However, in reality, only religious associations which submit to the state can observe their beliefs unmolested.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4">[4]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Estonia" title="Estonia">Estonia</a> — Constitutionally-guaranteed in article 40.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a> — In the constitution since 1798,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5">[5]</a></sup> and followed up by the policy of "laïcité" — officially mandating <a href="/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state" title="Separation of church and state">separation of church and state</a> — since 1905,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6">[6]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a> — Article 4 of the Basic Law guarantees "freedom of faith and conscience" and the right to practice religion undisturbed.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8">[8]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/India" title="India">India</a> — Guaranteed in article 15 and Article 25 of the Constitution of India,<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9">[9]</a></sup> and a preamble amended in 1976 states that India is a secular state.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10">[10]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ireland" title="Ireland">Ireland</a> — Article 44 of the constitution ("subject to public order and morality" though);<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11">[11]</a></sup> until 1972, the Catholic Church was specially privileged.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12">[12]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a> — In the constitution (article 20) since 1946.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13">[13]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a> — Since 1859. <a href="/wiki/Clergy" class="mw-redirect" title="Clergy">Clergy</a> cannot run for office or make political statements.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a> — In the constitution since 1983, though religious schools receive government funds.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a> — Codified in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, section 15.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14">[14]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15">[15]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a> — Codified in the 1987 constitution.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16">[16]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a> — In the constitution.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a> — In the constitution since 1976.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a> — In the constitution since 1978.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a> — In the Swiss Constitution since 1874;<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17">[17]</a></sup> Article 15 in the 1999 Federal Constitution.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18">[18]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> — Guaranteed since the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights, strengthened since the passage of the <a href="/wiki/Human_Rights_Act_1998" title="Human Rights Act 1998">Human Rights Act 1998</a>. However, the UK does have an established state religion ("<a href="/wiki/Church_of_England" title="Church of England">Cake or death?</a>"<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19">[19]</a></sup>) and the abolition of legal penalties for <a href="/wiki/Blasphemy" title="Blasphemy">blasphemy</a> was shockingly recent (2008).<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20">[20]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> — Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the <a href="/wiki/Establishment_Clause" title="Establishment Clause">Establishment Clause</a> and Free Exercise Clause of the <a href="/wiki/First_Amendment" title="First Amendment">First Amendment</a> of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">constitution</a><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21">[21]</a></sup> and is closely associated with separation of church and state (known as the "wall of separation").<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22">[22]</a></sup></li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Freedom_from_religion">Freedom <i>from</i> religion</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Freedom from religion">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p><i>See also: <a href="/wiki/Freedom_from_Religion_Foundation" class="mw-redirect" title="Freedom from Religion Foundation">Freedom from Religion Foundation</a></i> </p><p>While there are some (okay, apparently quite a lot) on the <a href="/wiki/Religious_Right" title="Religious Right">Religious Right</a> that disagree, freedom <i>from</i> religion (e.g., the ability to be an <a href="/wiki/Atheist" class="mw-redirect" title="Atheist">atheist</a>, <a href="/wiki/Secular_humanist" class="mw-redirect" title="Secular humanist">secular humanist</a>, and so on) is an integral part of freedom <i>of</i> religion. This is because without the ability to choose to not partake in religious activity, the free choice of religious activity becomes meaningless. Freedom of choice requires <a href="/wiki/Informed_consent" title="Informed consent">informed consent</a>, and a cornerstone of this is the ability to withdraw consent — otherwise it's coerced, and therefore not free consent. If the option to not be religious is removed, then being religious becomes effectively forced and the power that the belief has (because it was chosen out of all others, including the "N/A" option) is diminished. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Criticisms">Criticisms</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Criticisms">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>There are multiple problems with the concept of freedom of religion, and how far a person's freedom of worship should be protected: </p> <ul><li>Religion and <a href="/wiki/Culture" title="Culture">culture</a> are often deeply intertwined. Many <a href="/wiki/War" title="War">wars</a> are religion-based (or religion is used to justify them <i>ad hoc</i>), many countries have a dominant religion or religions even when there is officially no religion that is <a href="/wiki/State_religion" title="State religion">endorsed or supported by the state</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23">[note 1]</a></sup> and worshipping contrary to the state (or, even worse, following a religion that happens to be seen as a threat<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24">[note 2]</a></sup>) is seen as an act of civil, not religious, disobedience. The "<a href="/wiki/Park51" title="Park51">9/11 Mosque</a>" brouhaha is an example of this.</li> <li>Religion often demands actions from believers that offend the culture they exist in or conflicts with the values of the land. Examples include: <ul><li>Smoking <a href="/wiki/Ganja" class="mw-redirect" title="Ganja">ganja</a> for <a href="/wiki/Rastafari" title="Rastafari">Rastafarians</a></li> <li>Use of <a href="/wiki/Peyote" title="Peyote">psychedelic plants</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polygamy" title="Polygamy">Polygamy</a> for <a href="/wiki/Muslim" class="mw-redirect" title="Muslim">Muslims</a>, <a href="/wiki/Mormon" class="mw-redirect" title="Mormon">Mormons</a>, or anyone else seeking to emulate the many polygamist prophets found in the <a href="/wiki/Old_Testament" title="Old Testament">Old Testament</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25">[23]</a></sup> In 1878, the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</a> decided that polygamy was illegal, even for Mormons.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Incest" title="Incest">Incest</a> for anyone who noticed Sarah was <a href="/wiki/Abraham" title="Abraham">Abraham</a>'s half-sister</li> <li>Killing <a href="/wiki/Infidel" title="Infidel">non-believers</a>, believers of other religions, <a href="/wiki/Apostates" class="mw-redirect" title="Apostates">apostates</a>, <a href="/wiki/Homosexual" class="mw-redirect" title="Homosexual">homosexuals</a>, non-<a href="/wiki/Virgin" title="Virgin">virgins</a> on their wedding nights, and those who work on the <a href="/wiki/Sabbath" title="Sabbath">Sabbath</a><sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26">[24]</a></sup></li> <li>Chanting up and down Oxford Street for <a href="/wiki/Hare_Krishna" class="mw-redirect" title="Hare Krishna">Hare Krishna</a> worshipers</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Animal" title="Animal">Animal</a> sacrifice for various religions, when the animal will be used as food<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27">[note 3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28">[25]</a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_sacrifice" title="Human sacrifice">Human sacrifice</a> for Aztec revivalists</li> <li>Declining <a href="/wiki/Medical" class="mw-redirect" title="Medical">medical</a> treatment for your children on religious grounds. In 2011, the state of <a href="/wiki/Oregon" class="mw-redirect" title="Oregon">Oregon</a> decided to remove religious conviction as a defense against homicide charges faced by parents who shun medical care for their kids.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29">[26]</a></sup></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monotheism" title="Monotheism">Monotheistic</a> religion, by its very nature, tends to demand that it is the only true religion. "<a href="/wiki/Ten_Commandments#First_Commandment:_Idolatry" title="Ten Commandments">Thou shall have no other god but me</a>," as <a href="/wiki/Yahweh" class="mw-redirect" title="Yahweh">Yahweh</a> put it.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30">[note 4]</a></sup> As such, those religions tend to frown on religious freedom for <a href="/wiki/Infidel" title="Infidel">infidels</a> (i.e. the rest of us).</li> <li>Religion has historically been used as a last resort argument against, well, everything, but notably integration, and freedom of religion used as an argument to support discrimination in public accommodations, services, etc. To this end, the <a href="/wiki/Religious_right" class="mw-redirect" title="Religious right">religious right</a> has co-opted the phrases "<a href="/wiki/Religious_freedom" title="Religious freedom">religious freedom</a>" and "religious liberty" as euphemisms for their bigotry and their desire to continue controlling others.</li> <li>People that belong to a well-codified religion can find it easier to assert certain rights ("I would like to have a cross in my hospital room because it gives me comfort") than those that do not ("<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1333640/">I would like to have a funny picture of a pig in my room for the same reason</a>").</li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="See_also">See also</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: See also">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cuius_regio,_eius_religio" title="Cuius regio, eius religio">Cuius regio, eius religio</a> — a primitive version that applies to states and their rulers rather than individuals</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freedom_from_Religion_Foundation" class="mw-redirect" title="Freedom from Religion Foundation">Freedom from Religion Foundation</a> — because freedom for <a href="/wiki/Atheism" title="Atheism">atheists</a> is important, too</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religious_freedom" title="Religious freedom">Religious freedom</a> (i.e. as a <a href="/wiki/Code_word" title="Code word">political euphemism</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state" title="Separation of church and state">Separation of church and state</a> — a concept that is often necessary to prevent a self-professed "one true faith" from throwing freedom of religion out the window (among other abuses of influence)</li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Notes">Notes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Notes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="font-size:90%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-23">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Examples of religions that are dominant in their nation, even if not officially endorsed by the state, include Christianity in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and several other countries (especially in Europe and the Americas), Judaism in Israel, Hinduism (as well as Buddhism and Islam to lesser extents) in India, and Buddhism and Shinto in Japan.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-24">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Islamophobia" title="Islamophobia">Islam is the standout example of a religion that is seen as a threat in the modern day</a>, especially in Western nations such as the United States, Great Britain, and the members of the European Union (as well as in India to some extent, where Muslims and Hindus are <a href="/wiki/Hindutva" title="Hindutva">often literally trying to tear each other's throats out</a>), but most religions have been seen as a threat and subsequently persecuted in some nation at some time or another. For example, Buddhist/Shinto Japan went through a period of ruthlessly exterminating Christians, the aforementioned "Muslims and Hindus trying to tear each other's throats out" situation in India has been going on for roughly a millennium,<sup>[<a href="/wiki/Help:References" title="Help:References"><i>citation needed</i></a>]</sup> and the Christian Spanish conquerors of South America responded famously poorly to the Aztecs' practice of <a href="/wiki/Human_sacrifice" title="Human sacrifice">human sacrifice</a> (though Christianity has historically looked upon <i>any</i> <a href="/wiki/Pagan" class="mw-redirect" title="Pagan">pagan</a> religion negatively). And then there are <a href="/wiki/New_Atheism" title="New Atheism">those people who see <i>all</i> religions as threats</a>…</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-27">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">This practice has been deemed constitutionally-protected, so long as the person will eat the animal, and the sacrifice is not any more traumatic to the animal than other forms of non-ritual food-slaughter.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-30">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Though the original reading of that would be "Thou shalt have no other god(s) <i>before</i> me", which could be taken as an admission <a href="/wiki/Monolatrism" title="Monolatrism">that other gods <i>exist</i>, but should not be treated as more important than Yahweh by Yahweh's chosen people</a>. The history of the early Jewish religion is complicated, and it doesn't help that the contents of the Torah and Bible have repeatedly been edited (<a href="/wiki/Council_of_Nicaea" title="Council of Nicaea">sometimes</a> deliberately, sometimes as an unintended result of <a href="/wiki/Bible_translation" title="Bible translation">translation</a>, and <a href="/wiki/King_James_Bible" class="mw-redirect" title="King James Bible">sometimes</a> as <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TranslationWithAnAgenda">an <i>intended</i> result of translation</a>) to suit the new direction of the Jewish and Christian faiths.<sup>[<a href="/wiki/Help:References" title="Help:References"><i>citation needed</i></a>]</sup> (Which in and of itself <i>should</i> be a death blow against the concepts of <a href="/wiki/Biblical_literalism" title="Biblical literalism">Biblical literalism</a>, Biblical inerrancy, and <a href="/wiki/Essay:The_Word_Of_The_Lord_Should_Not_Be_Static" title="Essay:The Word Of The Lord Should Not Be Static">the perfection</a> of <a href="/wiki/Dogma" title="Dogma">dogma</a>, but if there's one thing <a href="/wiki/Fundamentalism" title="Fundamentalism">fundies</a> are good at, it's <a href="/wiki/Confirmation_bias" title="Confirmation bias">ignoring information</a> <a href="/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance" title="Cognitive dissonance">that doesn't conform to their</a> <a href="/wiki/Worldview" title="Worldview">worldview</a>…<sup>[<i>citation NOT needed</i>]</sup>)</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Freedom_of_religion&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: References">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; -webkit-column-count:2; column-count:2; font-size:90%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Notes_on_the_State_of_Virginia">Notes on the State of Virginia.</a> <i>Wikiquote.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-2">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/freedomreligion/pages/standards.aspx#:~:text=Art.-,18%20(1)%3A%20%22Everyone%20shall%20have%20the%20right%20to,of%20thought%2C%20conscience%20and%20religion.&text=either%20individually%20or%20in%20community,observance%2C%20practice%20and%20teaching.%22">International standards on freedom of religion or belief</a> <i>OHCHR</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-3">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_116_of_the_Constitution_of_Australia" class="extiw" title="wp:Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia" rel="nofollow">Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-4">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_China" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in China" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in China</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-5">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_France" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in France" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in France</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C3%AFcit%C3%A9" class="extiw" title="wp:Laïcité" rel="nofollow">Laïcité</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-7">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bundestag.de/blob/284870/ce0d03414872b427e57fccb703634dcd/basic_law-data.pdf">Basic Law</a>, Bundestag.de</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-8">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Germany" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in Germany" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in Germany</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-9">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_India" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in India" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in India</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-10">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend42.htm">http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend42.htm</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-11">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html">Constitution of Ireland</a>, Irish Statute Book</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-12">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_Ireland" class="extiw" title="wp:Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland" rel="nofollow">Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-13">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Japan" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in Japan" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in Japan</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-14">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_New_Zealand" class="extiw" title="wp:Human rights in New Zealand" rel="nofollow">Human rights in New Zealand</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-15">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0109/latest/DLM225514.html">New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, Section 15</a>, New Zealand Government</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-16">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Philippines" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in Philippines" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in Philippines</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-17">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Switzerland" class="extiw" title="wp:Religion in Switzerland" rel="nofollow">Religion in Switzerland</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-18">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/201601010000/101.pdf">Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation</a>, Swiss Federal Government website</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-19">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rMMHUzm22oE#t=286">https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rMMHUzm22oE#t=286</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-20">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Justice_and_Immigration_Act_2008#Blasphemy" class="extiw" title="wp:Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008" rel="nofollow">Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 § Blasphemy</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-21">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_United_States" class="extiw" title="wp:Freedom of religion in the United States" rel="nofollow">Freedom of religion in the United States</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-22">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States" class="extiw" title="wp:Separation of church and state in the United States" rel="nofollow">Separation of church and state in the United States</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-25">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.biblicalpolygamy.com/polygamists/">http://www.biblicalpolygamy.com/polygamists/</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-26">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.evilbible.com/Murder.htm">http://www.evilbible.com/Murder.htm</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-28">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/12/us/supreme-court-animal-sacrifice-court-citing-religious-freedom-voids-ban-animal.html">http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/12/us/supreme-court-animal-sacrifice-court-citing-religious-freedom-voids-ban-animal.html</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-29">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-03-28-column28_ST_N.htm">Even religious freedom has limits</a>, <i>USA Today</i></span> </li> </ol></div></div>    </div></div><div class="printfooter">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" 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