Written by: Michael Swain, Executive Director of FOR SA
Article source: forsa.org.za
On the 27th of October, many celebrate International Religious Freedom Day. In South Africa, this most fundamental of all rights is recognised and protected by section 15 of our Constitution. Our Constitutional Court has further confirmed this protection extends to all religious beliefs, even if such belief is “bizarre, irrational, or illogical”.
A fundamental human right
Religious freedom is a human right that ‘attaches to you’ simply because you are human – it goes with you wherever you (as the right bearer) go. It applies to both individuals and organisations, and has been described as a ‘basket of human rights’ because it encompasses not only religion, but also protects freedom of conscience, thought, belief, and opinion. It is also closely related to other fundamental rights such as dignity, association, and expression. It is integral to how you view the world and interact with it.
Living your life how you wish to
The right to religious freedom protects your right to live out your life in accordance with the religious truths and related values that you hold, without undue coercion or interference from any person or government. It also includes the right to change your faith if/when you choose, or to have no faith at all. To quote the words of President Nelson Mandela, “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
Constitutional rights for believers
Section 31 of our Constitution further protects the right of religious communities to collectively practise their religion and to form religious associations. This includes protecting the autonomy of organisations to function and operate based upon their tenets of faith and internal regulations. Such associations not only include churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples, but also the right of religious communities to create and operate faith-based associations such as schools, adoption agencies, hospices, and the like. This right is also integral to the family, where parents are entitled to pass on their faith and their values to their children. This is why many of the current battlegrounds are in the area of education. Governments who attempt to teach children ideologically and value-laden content as part of the school curriculum frequently find themselves in conflict with parents.
Fundamental to any democracy
Today, the right to religious freedom is recognised and protected as fundamental to any democracy worthy of the name. However, unless we are willing to fight for it, we will likely lose it to a “death by a thousand cuts”. FOR SA has been on the frontlines of the battle for faith and freedom for the past nine years. Celebrate religious freedom by partnering with us today to protect this vital right!
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Date published: 23/09/2022
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. South African National Parliament/www.flickr.com
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