Freedom of religion or belief may be the only „classical“fundamental freedom which sometimes triggers mixed emotions among liberals. Of course, some religious traditionalists may also voice skepticism, possibly based on fear that recognizing religion as a matter of personal freedom might lead to a trivialization of faith issues. This sort of reluctance is certainly less surprising. The strange experience is that people who otherwise feel passionate about rights to freedom – freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of associations etc. – often display some ambivalence when confronted with claims of freedom of religion. A liberal right rejected by liberals (or some of them) – what is that?
The assassination of the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists in Paris in January this year has refueled the old discussion about an alleged antagonism between freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Whereas freedom of expression often figures as the epitome of political liberalism in the broadest sense of the word, freedom of religion is sometimes located in a different camp. And while freedom of expression gives “green light” to intellectual experimentation and satirical provocation, freedom of religion seems to function more like a “stop sign” – “don’t go too far in your provocations!” Hence the impression that these two right, in spite of the common heading of “freedom”, actually point in different, perhaps even opposite directions.
As popular as this perception may be, it is wrong. Freedom of religion or belief does not protects religions in themselves, i.e. their truth claims, traditional identities or even hegemonies. Instead, it empowers human beings, traditional believers as well as dissenters and critics. Everyone should enjoy their freedom to search for an ultimate meaning in life, to come to different results (or no result) in such endeavors, to seek and impart information on faith-related matters, to go to church or remain at home, to change their religion or abandon it, to cherish their inherited faith or to remain indifferent, to contribute to religious community life, engage in religious education etc. Right holders are human beings, as individuals and in community with others, and in private as well as in public. In this sense, freedom of religion or belief follows exactly the same logic as freedom of expression and indeed any other human right. It specifically recognizes human beings as holders of deep, existential, identity-shaping convictions.
Liberals have good reasons to commit themselves to the thorough implementation of freedom of religion or belief, in conjunction with all other human rights. At the same time, freedom of religion or belief does pose an interesting challenge to liberals. It serves as a reminder that the subject of human rights, i.e. the human being, is a rather complex being, whose identity-shaping existential convictions can go in very different direction. Diversity is easier said than done – most certainly in the area of religious diversity. In order to define adequate policies in our increasingly multi-cultural and multi-religious societies, political liberalism should show new sensitivity for the religious dimensions of human life.
