What is Religious Oppression?

All people have a right to explore some of life’s most important questions, such as where we came from and what happens when we die. Each of us also has the right to develop and nurture our own understanding of and connection to all other beings in the universe. Religious oppression can limit a person’s ability to learn and grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It can lead to an inability to form a healthy relationship with oneself, as well as with others. In many cases, religious oppression can lead to name-calling, shunning, exclusion, and bullying. In severe cases, it can lead to abuse, murder, and even war.

No one should ever have to be afraid to learn about the world around them, explore life’s purpose and questions, and to come to conclusions that work best for them.

Institutionalized

Institutionalized religious discrimination happens when it is the policy or practice of a group, business, organization, or government to treat people differently because of their religious beliefs. 

Rejecting Religious Oppression and Dismantling the Right versus Wrong Lens

The first step in rejecting religious oppression is saying it’s not okay and helping ourselves and others to dismantle the “Right versus Wrong Lens.”

Religious oppression occurs when a person or group believes their worldview is 100% right and concludes that other worldviews are wrong. This lens assumes that people who have come to different conclusions are lost, morally or intellectually inferior, or intentionally evil. It paints those with the same beliefs as morally and intellectually superior, and views those who have come to a different conclusion as unworthy of basic human rights, access to human needs, and basic dignity, worth and consideration. 

Understanding what religion is and how it applies to each of us can help us dismantle the “Right versus Wrong Lens.”

Spectrum-Based View of Humanity

What is Religion Anyway?

As human beings, we often share important questions about life and the world around us. When left unanswered, these questions can lead to fear, worry, anxiety, and insecurity. Some people answer these questions on their own, and one at a time. A religion is a belief system that allows us to combine these questions and answers into a single framework. Often, this framework includes our origin story, our moral code during our life, guidelines for our connection to the world and universe around us, and what happens to us when we die. 

Origin Story

Many of us question where human beings and the universe first started. Throughout human history, people have credited God, a god, or many gods or goddesses with the creation of human beings, Earth, and the universe. This is commonly called the “Creation Theory.” Today, science explains the creation of our universe with the “Big Bang Theory.” This theory states that all things in the universe came from a single energy source that exploded outward more than 13 billion years ago. Still, many people wonder who or what caused the “Big Bang,” what existed before the “Big Bang,” and whether the “Big Bang” was a spontaneous accident or developed by design. Some people believe the “Creation” Theory” and the “Big Bang Theory” naturally go together. 

Each person has a right to explore the origins of human beings and the universe and to contribute their ideas to our collective knowledge. Whether or not we choose to agree with a particular notion or theory about our origins is completely up to us. Some people feel confident in their own explanation early on, and some people continue to explore this throughout their lives.

What Happens When We Die?

Similar to exploring our origins, many people have questions about what happens when we die. Some people believe our souls and consciousness carry on and go to heaven or to a happy place, while others believe that we are each reborn in a new body and start life over again. Others believe that we simply die, and that our consciousness and thought cease to exist. Each person has the right to think about and consider what happens when we die, and religious frameworks often provide possible answers to this question.

Faith

Faith is our level of confidence in something or someone regardless of whether there is tangible proof or experience. It allows us to address our feelings of worry, anxiety, and insecurity when we have important questions or concerns. Faith can be reinforced by our life experiences, validation from others, and our own internal feelings. Because we have limited proof or evidence about the origins of Creation, the Big Bang, and what happens when we die, we rely on faith to feel secure about the conclusions we’ve come to regarding these answers.

Morals

Morals are a set of internal guidelines we follow that help us decide what actions to take and how we treat ourselves and others. Some people choose to follow simple guidelines, such as “do no harm to self or others”, while others adhere to more specific instructions about what to eat, how and when to form relationships, and how to treat each other. Our moral code can be learned from a religious framework, built from the examples of our familial relationships, or derived from our own beliefs, boundaries, and values. Our moral code can also change over time as we react to our life experiences. For example, we may feel a certain way about how something should be or how we would respond until we actually experience it for ourselves. 

Healthy Habits

Routine, discipline and rituals have proven to have a positive impact on physical, mental and emotional health. For some people this can mean starting each day with a shower and cup of coffee, making the bed and then going to work. For other people, this means praying at church on Sundays, or praying at home 5 times per day. A ritual can be as a simple as washing your hands for a full 20 seconds, or using a rosary during a daily prayer or meditation. Routines, discipline and rituals provide us with a feeling of being grounded, a sense of security, and clarity in our intentions. For some people, these routines and rituals are guided by a religious belief or framework, and others develop a routine or ritual based on their own life goals, needs and experiences. 

Attire, Celebrations, and Symbolism

For some people, honoring and reinforcing their faith includes expressing themselves through the clothes they wear or displaying symbols that represent their faith or their religious beliefs. In addition, many people make use of anniversaries to celebrate or recognize a person or event of importance. Birthdays, seasonal holidays, celebrations, ceremonies, or events that highlight important dates or times of self-reflection are all part of common human expressions and community building. Religious frameworks also tend to provide a set of celebrations or activities that support and reinforce the faith. Easter, Lent and Ramadan are a few examples, however, there are many practices and beliefs that have been celebrated throughout human history. You may wish to explore them to learn more about various religious celebrations and their intended meanings. 

Connection to God, Gods/Goddesses or the Universe

As human beings, we are innately connected to all other human beings and life in the universe. For some people, this means having a personal connection to God, a god or goddesses, nature, or even the universe itself. Some people say they feel connected to a “higher power”, and some people say “higher power” means following their own personal moral code of ethics. Others may have their connections specifically defined within the context of their religion. Still, others believe there is no connection at all. How we choose to connect with all that is – or not – is entirely up to us.

Prayer and Meditation

Although prayer tends to have religious connotation, a prayer is an expression of our dreams, goals, hopes, wants, needs, and desires. We often pray for a certain outcome to a situation or for the wellbeing of ourselves and others. It can be used to calm feelings of worry and insecurity, or in times of well-wishing, hope, gratitude, and celebration. How we pray can be defined by a religious framework or developed on our own.

Prayer tends to be a process of focusing our intentions outward, while meditation tends to be a process of focusing on our intentions inward. For example, during meditation we may pray for clarity, insight and our own well-being. The processes of prayer and meditation – inside or outside of a religious context – have shown to have positive impact on our physical, mental and emotional health.

Confession/Counseling

The ability to speak with someone to process our thoughts and feelings out loud has proven to have a positive impact on our physical, mental, and emotional health as well. This is particularly true when we have doubts, concerns, guilt, or shame about a situation or our own behaviors. In religious contexts, this can be accomplished through processes like confession or speaking with a spiritual leader. In a secular, or non-religious context, this can be accomplished through counseling, or even speaking with a friend.

Exploration

Many people are exposed to the religious beliefs and practices of their family or community of origin. As we grow and explore our own experiences on Earth, we might question those beliefs and decide to research other religious frameworks on our own. We may also fulfill our natural curiosity to learn by exploring other religions and resonating with newly found beliefs. In addition, some people choose a religious framework and follow its details to the letter, while others pick and choose from one or more religions to best guide their beliefs. Our level of adherence to a religious framework, including not adhering to any religious framework at all, is entirely up to us.

Oppression Within Religion Frameworks

Unfortunately, some religious frameworks – in full or in part – include calls to violate human rights or deny access to basic human needs. They may condone slavery, violence, murder, and exclusion of people who don’t share the same beliefs. In fact, some religious doctrines may ask a person to cut off ties with their families and loved ones, or force a person into relationships they don’t want to be in. It’s never okay to violate a person’s human rights, civil rights, constitutional rights, or access to basic human needs, or for someone to try to control who a person chooses to form relationships with. It’s also important to note that modern-day laws in the United States also make it illegal to cause harm to others, even when condoned by ancient religious practices. Committing abuse, violence, and murder against another person, even if religiously motivated, is not okay. Our personal freedom of religious belief and expression only extends to what we do with our own body, mind and soul. 

Beliefs to Challenge

People who don’t share my religious views are wrong.

Human First Lens

I recognize there are many ways of answering some of life’s most important questions. I have found answers that make the most sense to me, and I recognize that other people have the right to explore and find answers that make the most sense to them.  

Belief to Challenge

I should try to convince people to see things my way.

Human First Lens 

I am free to share my excitement about my beliefs and how I came to my conclusions with those who agree to listen. I show mutual consideration and respect by allowing others to share their excitement and how they came to their beliefs as well. I don’t have to agree with someone’s worldview to provide general regard and kindness.

Beliefs to Challenge

I already know everything I need to know and have no need to listen to others.  

Human First Lens

I can continue to learn and grow throughout my entire life. I can share what I’ve learned with others, and I can listen to what others have learned to see if it resonates with me. I understand that learning from others may enhance my own growth and change my views or make me feel more confident in the views I already hold. There is no reason to close off dialogue or discussion with people around religious beliefs.

Beliefs to Challenge

I think negative things about people whose religious views or experiences are different my own.

Human First Lens

I recognize that’s it never okay to dehumanize someone simply because we come to different conclusions about life’s most important questions. I recognize that people can have experiences that I have not encountered, and I can take an interest in learning about their experiences whether or not I believe them or agree with them.

Beliefs to Challenge

If my religion says it’s okay to murder people for a specific reason, or deny someone their civil rights, then that is just a part of my religious expression.

Human First Lens

I recognize I have the right to my own personal beliefs and expression of my faith. However, I also recognize the expression of my faith cannot interfere with another’s person’s human rights, civil rights, constitutional rights, or access to basic human needs. My personal faith and beliefs cannot impose on another’s person’, body, mind or soul. I also understand that my religious belief does not override the law when it comes to harm to others.

Beliefs to Challenge

I feel more comfortable around people of my own religious beliefs.  

Human First Lens

I am confident in my own beliefs and can be around people of all religious expressions. I can learn from and connect with anyone for a variety of reasons and on a variety of levels.

Belief to Challenge

I find myself having a generalized attitude about people when they say they are a specific religion or have no religion.

Human First Lens

I recognize that there are many religious viewpoints, and that I can form a relationship with someone based on our commonalities, rather than our differences in religion.

Beliefs to Challenge

I use or have used derogatory language to describe people based on their religion.

Human First Lens

I recognize that we are trying the best we can to learn about ourselves and the world around us. I recognize calling people names or belittling someone is harmful. I don’t like that for me, and I don’t want to make other people feel bad either.

Beliefs to Challenge

I get upset when a person with certain beliefs tries to take away my rights.  

Human First Lens

I recognize that oppression is never okay, and when I disagree with someone who feels called to violate my rights, I remember I am standing up against oppression, not the person.  

Beliefs to Challenge

People without religion don’t have morals.

Human First Lens

All people have the ability to develop their own moral code, and it can be influenced by their religion, their family and friends, or their personal life experiences and beliefs. For some people, finding their higher power is about adherence to their moral code, and is not defined as God.

Beliefs to Challenge

I can impose my morals onto others.

Human First Lens

I have a right to develop my own moral code and determine the way I should live that works best for me as long as I’m not hurting other people. I also recognize all other people have the right to develop their own moral code as well. I can share my moral beliefs with others, and they can share theirs with me.  But neither of us can tell someone else how they should live their lives.

Beliefs to Challenge

Their religious observations/celebrations/events don’t make sense to me.

Human First Lens

I recognize that I have if I have never experienced or practiced a celebration/event it might seem foreign me. I also recognize if I show my curiosity in a respectful way, others will be eager to share with me. If I still don’t understand, or the celebration or event doesn’t resonate with me, that’s okay, too. 

Religious oppression is never okay. How we choose to view the world and the experiences we’ve had that guide our beliefs and opinions are completely valid. It’s important to remember that we have the right to explore our world, and to come to the conclusions that make the most sense to us. We deserve to feel empowered and enlightened by our own spiritual and religious beliefs and experiences. Examining and reaffirming your beliefs, moral code and spiritual foundations can also be beneficial. If you have faced religious oppression, or struggle with your beliefs, it also may be helpful to speak with a spiritual leader or counselor. 

In addition, discrimination based on religion in employment, housing and public accommodations is illegal in the United States. If you have faced this type of discrimination, it can be empowering to seek justice through a federal, local or state Civil Rights office. 

If you have come to realize you may have been engaged in religious oppression, it’s important to make a change from this moment forward. It’s never okay to force or impose our beliefs onto others, or to view people as inferior because of their own experiences and conclusions. Committing to learning from and listening to others from this moment forward is an important part of the healing process.

Interpersonal

We can interrupt the cycle of religious oppression by calling it out when we see it. We can assert that all people have the right to come to their own conclusions, to express themselves, and to be included in our communities regardless of their faith or religious framework. Further, we can remind others that we all have a right to determine what’s best for ourselves, but we don’t have a right to determine what’s best for others. Regardless of our adherence to a particular religious framework, we all have the right to be included in our communities.

Systemic

When it comes to systems and businesses, we can ensure that policies and laws do not restrict a person’s right to express their faith; At the same time, we can ensure that a person’s or organization’s faith does not interfere with anyone else’s ability to make their own health care decisions, participate in the community, access government services, or get their basic needs me.