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Religious freedom in United States and Indonesia
Despite constitutional guarantees, followers of minority religions often face social resistance and sometimes even violence. It must be worse for those whose faith does not belong to one of the six official religions.
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Illustration of freedom religion. (Shutterstock/MyImages - Micha)
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eligious freedom in the United States is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
This freedom encompasses freedom to believe or to not believe, and freedom to practice one’s belief without coercion and interference. The state must therefore remain secular, and interfering with people’s religious beliefs can be considered an act against human rights.
“Religious freedom is a foundational American value. It is a universal and unalienable right that should be afforded to all,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington this month.
The US’ principle on religious freedom appears most ideal for it guarantees total and true freedom to adopt or not adopt any form of religious belief.
Indonesia is neither religious nor secular; it stands in the middle, with Pancasila as its foundation. The first sila or principle of Pancasila states “Belief in the One and Only God”.
But what does this mean for religious freedom in Indonesia?
Although Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution guarantees religious freedom, it is officially taken to mean “freedom” to embrace any of the six officially recognized religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
