IndexAbstract IntroductionReligious freedom (essay)LGBT rightsVaccines and public healthConclusionAbstract Essays on religious freedom can help clarify the line between the right to freely practice religion and the suppression of human rights. While some religious groups may oppose women's right to receive an abortion or contraceptive medication, denying access to these medical services is crossing the line of religious freedom. LGBT rights, such as same-sex marriage, do not infringe on anyone's religious freedom, and denying same-sex couples the same level of legal recognition as their relationship goes against the idea of ​​religious freedom. Furthermore, when it comes to assisted suicide, forbidding someone from dying with dignity and in a way they feel comfortable with is simply wrong, and religion should not interfere in this. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Introduction The United States of America is a beautiful country that promises many freedoms to its citizens. Religious freedom specifically is something this nation promises, being one of the main reasons the country was founded. However, where is the line between freedom of religion and the suppression of the lives and decisions of others? The answer to this question is different depending on who you ask. My personal belief on this matter is that everyone should be allowed to practice their religion freely and without interference. However, their beliefs should not be used as an excuse to discriminate against certain groups of people, deny access to medical services, or do things that are against the general good of the population as a whole. The point at which religious freedom becomes repression is the point at which religion is used to discriminate or deny people their human rights. Religious Freedom (essay) One of the major issues challenged by religious freedom is whether or not a woman should have the right to receive an abortion or a prescription for contraceptive drugs. There are many religious groups that are taking a pro-life stand. They are actively lobbying against women's right to these medical services as it involves the murder of a child. Having an abortion is not a decision anyone takes lightly. It is a decision made after much thought and made in favor of the well-being of the mother's potential child. The reality of abortion is that the vast majority of them are performed as soon as possible. According to a 2018 abortion surveillance summary published by the CDC, based on data reported from 49 areas, “In 2018, approximately three-quarters (77.7%) of abortions were performed at ? 9 weeks of gestation and almost all (92.2%) were performed at ? 13 weeks gestation.” (Kortsmit et al. 2018) People do not go out of their way to abort in the late stages of fetal development. Such procedures are performed only when the mother's life is in grave danger. There are also cases of rape, infant pregnancies, serious health problems of the potential child that will lead to intense suffering and death within hours of birth, and people who are not financially capable of caring for a child. Denying access to even contraceptive drugs will only lead to more abortions. Taking a contraceptive pill doesn't "kill" anything, it just prevents fertilization through altering hormones within the body. If these groups are so determined to get rid of abortions, then they should at least support contraceptive drugs, since they are something that reduces thenumber of abortions that could potentially occur. Not everyone practices religion, which means not everyone believes things like premarital sex are wrong. As a religious person, you have the right not to take part in these medical procedures and not to be subjected to contraceptive medication. However, the use of these medical services by others does not violate your religious freedom. Expecting everyone to follow their beliefs is crossing the line between religious freedom and the suppression of the human rights of others. LGBT Rights Another important issue that comes up when talking about religious freedom is LGBT rights. Is same-sex marriage a threat to religious freedom? Some religious people believe that same-sex marriage is immoral and goes against traditional values ​​of what family is, so they cannot “condone” it. They believe legalization threatens their religious freedom. Thankfully, it has already been legalized nationwide since 2015. However, that doesn't stop people from being vocally against it or lobbying to abolish it. Marriage of same-sex couples does not affect other people's personal relationships, nor does it violate anyone's religious freedom. While marriage is definitely a religious procedure, it has much more meaning than being purely ceremonial. Being married is something that comes with some advantages. Among these there are various financial, legal and tax advantages. Tricia Andryszewski writes in her book titled “Same-Sex Marriage: Ensuring Equal Rights or Harming the Status of Marriage?” “Marriage automatically makes couples next of kin. This status brings with it many legal rights and obligations that make family life easier. Federal law specifies more than a thousand ways in which the U.S. government treats married people as a distinct class. Each of these thousand distinctions confers a special status, right or advantage. (Most of these distinctions are related to Social Security, veterans' benefits, and federal income, state, and gift taxes.) level of legal recognition of their relationship. Letting this happen does not affect anyone's religious freedom, and to deny it to others is to cross the line of religious freedom. There is also the issue of assisted suicide. When someone is terminally ill and their health is deteriorating, some states allow patients who fit these criteria to have the option of assisted suicide. Although this topic is hotly debated across religious communities, there are those who oppose it. Pope Francis himself, along with representatives of other faiths, believes, as stated in a National Catholic Reporter article written by Carol Glatz, that “euthanasia and medically assisted suicide are 'intrinsically and consequentially morally and religiously wrong and should be prohibited without exception. Any pressure on dying patients to end their lives through active and deliberate action is categorically rejected.” (C,Glatz, 2019, par 7)Forbidding someone from dying with dignity and in a way they feel comfortable is simply wrong. Religion should not interfere with medical care. If someone is terminally ill and their condition is worsening, I believe they should have the right to decide whether they want to end their life before the suffering becomes too intense. I don't believe assisted suicide is morally wrong. Forcing someone to suffer until they die, when they would rather accept their conditions, is probably more morally wrong. Someone's religious beliefs should have no.