The Fragility of Religious Freedom

One implication of freedom of religion is that the State must accept a variety of religious beliefs and practices. Yet, not everything can be accepted. One way of dealing with such a conflict is to state that freedom of religion is absolute in so far that it does not infringe upon some other more important value. Another way is to limit what is considered ‘religious.’ Both these ways are insufficient. In this contribution it is argued that the whole freedom of religion construct is a fragile edifice and it be better seen as such; only if the fragility is recognised can non-conformist and anti-totalitarian approaches flourish. Such approaches may vitalise political life and encourage ability to discern and make judgements concerning what is permitted and what is not with regard to religion in the public sphere.