Freedom of Article 18

In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights one Article stood out most to me. In Article 18 it states, “ Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in a public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

This article made me think about all the people I have been exposed to lately. My roommate and I met these two young men at the gym. I knew there was something different about them. I asked them if they went to Quinnipiac, and they had told us they were missionaries from the Mormon Church. I was completely floored by that and wanted to learn more. They told us that they were encouraged to pay a mission for about a year and travel all over certain areas and try to teach people about there religion. They weren’t allowed to talk to their families, go out, listen to music, or have much fun at all. It was a volunteer thing and if they indulged in any of these things it would be in distraction to the mission. They told us they would go door-to-door everyday and talk to people about the Bible of Mormon. I remembered how my parents used to joke to hide when the Jehovah witnesses would come knock on our doors. The boys told us of horror stories where people would shut doors in their faces and make fun of them. We were free to say no to these people but to torture them and put down their religion so to speak seems so wrong. I wish people would want to learn about something before they shut them selves off to it.

This article makes it possible for Jehovah witnesses, and Mormons to exist. It allows them to spread the word of their beliefs and try to get together a community of people who believe and practice these thoughts. It also allows me to just believe in God, and not have any particular classification of religion. People have the right to say “no” to a particular religion, but they should open up their mind and hearts to learn more about it before slamming doors in people’s faces.

Article 18 also gives freedom to those who choose to say no to this religion and allows them to decide whether or not they want to learn about the religion.

We are so fortunate in our country to be able to voice our opinions on any subject we wish. In an article from Cameroon people with any political dissent will routinely be killed. The media is silenced to not discuss any of the killings or abuse to the citizens in Cameroon. Another article I had read that is particularly interesting was reported in the United States. In Pittsburgh Police are legally allowed to use tasers on people who don’t comply with their commands. People have died because they have tased people with medical conditions such as seizure conditions. This shouldn’t be allowed! Innocent people are dying because of some new plan was put in place.


http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/dissent-violently-repressed-cameroon-20090129

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/tasers-potentially-lethal-and-easy-abuse-20081216