Religion is a personal thing, and for many people, it’s a source of comfort, guidance, and identity.
Everyone has the right to believe whatever they’d like, but when their personal beliefs start creeping into areas that affect other people’s lives, things can get messy. Faith is meant to shape a person’s own choices, not control, limit, or harm other people who don’t share the same views. No matter how strongly someone believes in their faith, there are certain things it should never have the power to influence.
1. Other people’s rights
Everyone should have the same rights, regardless of what they believe or don’t believe. One person’s religion shouldn’t dictate whether someone else can get married, start a family, or make personal choices about their body. Basic freedoms shouldn’t depend on whether they align with someone else’s faith. No one is asking religious people to change their beliefs, but they also don’t have the right to force those beliefs onto anyone else. A fair society works for everyone, not just those who follow a specific set of religious rules.
2. Laws and government decisions
Laws should be based on fairness, logic, and the rights of all citizens, not religious teachings. When governments start making laws based on one particular faith, it leaves everyone else out, creating an unfair and unbalanced society. A good law should make sense whether a person is religious or not. No single belief system should have the power to dictate what everyone can or can’t do, especially in a diverse society where people follow different faiths, or none at all.
3. What’s taught in schools
Education should focus on facts, not faith. While it’s valuable to learn about different religions, personal beliefs shouldn’t replace science, history, or critical thinking. Schools should be a place for knowledge, not religious influence. Students should have the freedom to learn about different cultures and perspectives without being forced to accept religious teachings as fact. Religion belongs in personal faith and religious studies, not in science or history lessons.
4. Someone else’s healthcare decisions
Medical choices should be based on science and personal needs, not on religious restrictions. Whether it’s birth control, blood transfusions, or end-of-life care, these decisions should be made by the individual and their doctor, not influenced by someone else’s faith. If a person’s religion guides their own medical choices, that’s completely fine. But it becomes a problem when religious beliefs start blocking other people from accessing the care they need. No one should have to follow someone else’s faith just to receive medical treatment.
5. Who someone can marry
Love is personal, and no one’s religious beliefs should have the power to decide who someone else can marry. If two consenting adults want to spend their lives together, religion shouldn’t be used as an excuse to stop them. Some people want faith to be part of their marriage, and that’s their choice. But others don’t, and they should be able to get married without religious restrictions being forced on them. No belief system should have the right to determine who deserves love and legal recognition.
6. Workplace opportunities
A person’s career should be based on their skills, work ethic, and experience, not on whether they follow a certain faith. No one should be hired, fired, or treated unfairly at work just because their beliefs don’t match those of their employer. Workplaces should be inclusive, allowing people to practice their religion without it affecting their job. But at the same time, religion shouldn’t be used as a reason to discriminate against anyone or force religious practices in a professional environment.
7. What people wear
Clothing is a personal choice, and religious beliefs shouldn’t be used to dictate what other people can or can’t wear. Some people feel connected to their faith through their clothing, while others don’t, and both choices should be respected. Forcing someone to cover up or, on the other hand, banning them from wearing religious clothing takes away personal freedom. People should be able to dress how they want, whether that means following religious dress codes or choosing not to.
8. How people raise their children
Parents have the right to teach their children their values, but that doesn’t mean kids should be completely cut off from other perspectives. Children should be allowed to learn, ask questions, and eventually decide what they believe for themselves. Forcing strict religious rules on a child without giving them the chance to explore other ideas can feel more like control than guidance. Kids deserve to grow up with the ability to make informed choices rather than having their beliefs chosen for them.
9. Who deserves respect
Source: Pexels Basic respect should be given to everyone, not just people who share the same religious views. No one should have to follow a particular faith in order to be treated with kindness and fairness. Respect doesn’t mean agreeing with everything someone else does — it just means accepting that people have the right to live differently. Religion should never be an excuse to treat someone as less deserving of dignity and fairness.
10. Whether someone can access contraception
Family planning is a personal decision, and religious beliefs shouldn’t be used to deny people access to contraception. Whether or not someone chooses to use birth control should be up to them, not based on religious restrictions. If a person’s faith leads them to avoid contraception, that’s their choice. But they shouldn’t get to decide for other people or block access to safe, effective options that people may need for their own health and future.
11. How people identify
Gender, sexuality, and identity are deeply personal, and religious beliefs shouldn’t be used to dictate how someone expresses themselves. Everyone deserves the right to live as they truly are without being judged or restricted by religious expectations. Faith is meant to be personal, not a tool to control how other people identify. If someone’s religion doesn’t align with another person’s identity, they don’t have to agree, but they also don’t have the right to interfere in someone else’s life.
12. What people eat and drink
Different religions have different dietary rules, and that’s completely fine for those who choose to follow them. But one person’s religious food restrictions shouldn’t be forced on everyone around them. Whether it’s avoiding certain meats, drinking alcohol, or fasting during certain times of the year, those choices should be personal. Respecting religious diets is one thing, but expecting everyone else to follow them is another.
13. How people spend their free time
Religion can be an important guide for some people’s lives, but it shouldn’t control what other people do in their spare time. Whether it’s entertainment, hobbies, or relationships, people should have the freedom to enjoy their lives in ways that make them happy. Just because someone wouldn’t do something because of their faith doesn’t mean they get to stop anyone else from doing it. No one should have to justify their personal interests based on religious approval.
14. Who deserves forgiveness
Many religions teach the importance of forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean people should be forced to forgive just because it aligns with religious values. Forgiveness is a personal decision, and people should have the right to decide when and how to move on from situations. On the flip side, religion also shouldn’t be used as an excuse to withhold forgiveness from those who live differently. Personal beliefs should guide individual choices, not control how people are treated.
