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Religion and Human Rights
Forced worship stinks in God’s nostrils
—Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, to Maj. John Mason and Gov. Thomas Prence, 22 June 1670
There can be no compulsion in matters of religion
—Quran 2:256
Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion
—Thomas Jefferson, “Notes on Religion,” 1776
So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: “Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor’s religion is.” Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code.
—Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), a Biography
Proposed U.S. flag amendment to Constitution offends key tenet of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
The British colonies in America: Early cases of repression in the land of religious freedom
The British colonies in America: The birth of religious freedom
USA: Thoughts of the founders
Europe
- The trial of William Penn (1670)
- Voltaire on Quakers, Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Unitarians in England (1734):
Basic documents on the separation of church and state
Buddhism and human rights
Judeo-Christianity and human rights
- Biblical passages with positive human rights implications
- Challenging what is inhumane in the Bible
- John Brown: Address to the court, before being hanged at Harper’s Ferry (1859)
Daoism and human rights
Links
© 1996, 1999 Andrew Reding, Project Director and Senior Fellow, World Policy Institute
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