Christianity

• Christians believe that all people are created in the image of God, meaning everyone has equal value and should be free to choose their beliefs.

• Because of this, people should have the right to freedom of religion and belief, without being forced to follow Christianity.

• Jesus respected people’s free choice and did not force anyone to follow him, as shown in the story of the rich young man, whom Jesus allowed to walk away.

• Christianity teaches love and respect for others, for example “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31), which supports tolerance of different beliefs.

• Christians are encouraged to live out their faith through actions, such as caring for others and working for justice, even where religious freedom is limited.

• Teachings such as “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) support equality, regardless of religion, gender, or status.

• Christians are taught to act with humility, patience, and love, rather than forcing belief on others (Ephesians 4:2).

• Religious freedom is important because faith is meaningful only if people are free to decide for themselves whether to follow Christianity.

Islam

• In Islam, human rights are often understood through the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights, which bases rights on the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic law (Shari’ah).

• Islam teaches that Allah created all humanity, meaning all people are equal in value and dignity.

• The Qur’an clearly supports freedom of belief, stating “There is no compulsion in matters of faith” (Qur’an 2:256), showing that people should not be forced to believe.

• Islam teaches that Allah judges people by their intentions and actions, not their appearance or background, supporting equality and tolerance.

• The Prophet Muhammad showed tolerance towards Jews and Christians, who are recognised as People of the Book, meaning they have received revelation from Allah.

• Under Shari’ah law, non-Muslims are traditionally allowed to practise their religion, which supports religious freedom within an Islamic society.

• The Qur’an states “Let him who will believe, and let him who will reject it” (Qur’an 18:29), suggesting freedom of personal choice in belief.

• Religious freedom helps create peaceful coexistence between different faiths, which aligns with Islamic teachings on justice.

Judaism

• Judaism teaches that all humans are created in the image of God, which means everyone has equal value and dignity.

• Because all people are equal, everyone should have the right to follow their own religion or beliefs without discrimination.

• Jewish teaching suggests that being Jewish is often an accident of birth, not a reason to judge others, and what matters most is how people live their lives, not who they worship.

• Judaism teaches that non-Jews should be treated with love and respect, and that religious intolerance and discrimination are wrong.

• The Torah commands Jews to love the foreigner as themselves, reminding them of their own experience as outsiders in Egypt (Leviticus 19:34).

• A key Jewish teaching is “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), which supports tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• Jewish prophets emphasised justice for all people, for example “Let justice roll on like a river” (Amos 5:24).

• These teachings show that Judaism supports religious freedom and equality, and that people can still live morally and work for justice even if their freedom to practise religion is restricted.

Hinduism

Religious freedom encourages tolerance and respect, as it accepts that people may follow different beliefs while still seeking the same truth.

• Hindu teachings suggest that truth is one but there are many paths, meaning everyone should be free to practise their religion in their own way.

• Thinkers such as Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore taught that different religions are like different paths up the same mountain, all leading to the same goal.

• Because of this belief, Hinduism traditionally does not support forcing others to convert, which respects people’s freedom of belief.

• Religious freedom supports the principle of ahimsa (non-violence), as forcing beliefs on others can cause harm and conflict.

• Allowing religious freedom helps create peaceful communities, where people with different beliefs can live together without fear.

Sikhism

Sikhs believe that God exists within all people, which means everyone deserves equal respect regardless of their religion.

• Sikhism teaches that there is one God for all religions, so no single faith is superior to another.

• The Guru Granth Sahib teaches that it is wrong to describe other religions as false or inferior, showing strong support for religious freedom.

• Guru Nanak rejected religious divisions, saying “There is no Hindu, no Muslim,” meaning that people should focus on following God rather than labels.

• The Rahit Maryada states that Sikhs must not offend other faiths, encouraging tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• The Guru Granth Sahib includes writings from both Hindu and Muslim authors, showing respect for different religious traditions.

• Gurdwaras are open to everyone, and the langar welcomes all people equally, regardless of belief.

• Sikh teachings emphasise judging people by their inner light, not by their religion, which supports the idea that everyone should be free to follow their own faith.

Buddhism

• The Buddha taught that although suffering is unavoidable, people have a responsibility to reduce the suffering of others, which supports tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• Buddhism teaches the equality of all human beings, meaning no one should be treated differently because of their religion or beliefs.

• Religious freedom allows people to live by Buddhist principles such as Right Speech and Right Action, which promote kindness, non-violence, and respect for others.

• Buddhism values tolerance and consideration, suggesting that forcing religious beliefs on others would cause harm and increase suffering.

• The Dhammapada teaches that hatred should be overcome with peace and compassion, supporting freedom of belief.

• Buddhist teachings suggest that divisions such as religion, race, or gender are illusions, so people should not be judged by their beliefs.

• The Dalai Lama has stated that everyone has the freedom to practise religion or not, showing strong support for religious choice.

• This shows that religious freedom helps reduce conflict and suffering, making it one of the most important human rights.

Article 1 of the UDHR

The first right listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is:

It could be argued that equality is the most important human right because if people are not treated equally, then other rights, including the right to religious freedom, may not be protected for everyone.

Therefore, equality is essential for ensuring other human rights apply fairly.

Article 3 of the UDHR

It could be argued that the right to life is the most important human right because without it, no other human rights can be exercised, including the right to religious freedom. If people are not safe or free, their other rights are meaningless.

Therefore, the right to life is essential because it protects the basic conditions needed for all other rights to exist.

Christianity

• Christians believe that all people are created in the image of God, meaning everyone has equal value and should be free to choose their beliefs.

• Because of this, people should have the right to freedom of religion and belief, without being forced to follow Christianity.

• Jesus respected people’s free choice and did not force anyone to follow him, as shown in the story of the rich young man, whom Jesus allowed to walk away.

• Christianity teaches love and respect for others, for example “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31), which supports tolerance of different beliefs.

• Christians are encouraged to live out their faith through actions, such as caring for others and working for justice, even where religious freedom is limited.

• Teachings such as “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) support equality, regardless of religion, gender, or status.

• Christians are taught to act with humility, patience, and love, rather than forcing belief on others (Ephesians 4:2).

• Religious freedom is important because faith is meaningful only if people are free to decide for themselves whether to follow Christianity.

Islam

• In Islam, human rights are often understood through the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights, which bases rights on the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic law (Shari’ah).

• Islam teaches that Allah created all humanity, meaning all people are equal in value and dignity.

• The Qur’an clearly supports freedom of belief, stating “There is no compulsion in matters of faith” (Qur’an 2:256), showing that people should not be forced to believe.

• Islam teaches that Allah judges people by their intentions and actions, not their appearance or background, supporting equality and tolerance.

• The Prophet Muhammad showed tolerance towards Jews and Christians, who are recognised as People of the Book, meaning they have received revelation from Allah.

• Under Shari’ah law, non-Muslims are traditionally allowed to practise their religion, which supports religious freedom within an Islamic society.

• The Qur’an states “Let him who will believe, and let him who will reject it” (Qur’an 18:29), suggesting freedom of personal choice in belief.

• Religious freedom helps create peaceful coexistence between different faiths, which aligns with Islamic teachings on justice.

Judaism

• Judaism teaches that all humans are created in the image of God, which means everyone has equal value and dignity.

• Because all people are equal, everyone should have the right to follow their own religion or beliefs without discrimination.

• Jewish teaching suggests that being Jewish is often an accident of birth, not a reason to judge others, and what matters most is how people live their lives, not who they worship.

• Judaism teaches that non-Jews should be treated with love and respect, and that religious intolerance and discrimination are wrong.

• The Torah commands Jews to love the foreigner as themselves, reminding them of their own experience as outsiders in Egypt (Leviticus 19:34).

• A key Jewish teaching is “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), which supports tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• Jewish prophets emphasised justice for all people, for example “Let justice roll on like a river” (Amos 5:24).

• These teachings show that Judaism supports religious freedom and equality, and that people can still live morally and work for justice even if their freedom to practise religion is restricted.

Hinduism

Religious freedom encourages tolerance and respect, as it accepts that people may follow different beliefs while still seeking the same truth.

• Hindu teachings suggest that truth is one but there are many paths, meaning everyone should be free to practise their religion in their own way.

• Thinkers such as Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore taught that different religions are like different paths up the same mountain, all leading to the same goal.

• Because of this belief, Hinduism traditionally does not support forcing others to convert, which respects people’s freedom of belief.

• Religious freedom supports the principle of ahimsa (non-violence), as forcing beliefs on others can cause harm and conflict.

• Allowing religious freedom helps create peaceful communities, where people with different beliefs can live together without fear.

Sikhism

Sikhs believe that God exists within all people, which means everyone deserves equal respect regardless of their religion.

• Sikhism teaches that there is one God for all religions, so no single faith is superior to another.

• The Guru Granth Sahib teaches that it is wrong to describe other religions as false or inferior, showing strong support for religious freedom.

• Guru Nanak rejected religious divisions, saying “There is no Hindu, no Muslim,” meaning that people should focus on following God rather than labels.

• The Rahit Maryada states that Sikhs must not offend other faiths, encouraging tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• The Guru Granth Sahib includes writings from both Hindu and Muslim authors, showing respect for different religious traditions.

• Gurdwaras are open to everyone, and the langar welcomes all people equally, regardless of belief.

• Sikh teachings emphasise judging people by their inner light, not by their religion, which supports the idea that everyone should be free to follow their own faith.

Buddhism

• The Buddha taught that although suffering is unavoidable, people have a responsibility to reduce the suffering of others, which supports tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

• Buddhism teaches the equality of all human beings, meaning no one should be treated differently because of their religion or beliefs.

• Religious freedom allows people to live by Buddhist principles such as Right Speech and Right Action, which promote kindness, non-violence, and respect for others.

• Buddhism values tolerance and consideration, suggesting that forcing religious beliefs on others would cause harm and increase suffering.

• The Dhammapada teaches that hatred should be overcome with peace and compassion, supporting freedom of belief.

• Buddhist teachings suggest that divisions such as religion, race, or gender are illusions, so people should not be judged by their beliefs.

• The Dalai Lama has stated that everyone has the freedom to practise religion or not, showing strong support for religious choice.

• This shows that religious freedom helps reduce conflict and suffering, making it one of the most important human rights.