I Choose to Be A …

The word “religion,” meaning to bind fast, comes from the Western Latin word religare. It is commonly, but not always, associated with traditional majority, minority or new religious beliefs in a transcendent deity or deities.

Religions and other beliefs bring hope and consolation to billions of people, and hold great potential for peace and reconciliation. They have also, however, been the source of tension and conflict. This complexity, and the difficulty of defining “religion” and “belief,” is illustrated by the still developing history of the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the context of international human rights.

Freedom of religion is considered by many people and nations to be a fundamental human right. Thomas Jefferson said (1807) "among the inestimable of our blessings, also, is that ...of liberty to worship our Creator in the way we think most agreeable to His will; ..."

In human rights discourse, however, the use of the term usually also includes support for the right to non-religious beliefs. In 1993 the Human Rights Committee, an independent body of 18 experts selected through a UN process, described religion or belief as “theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief.”

“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a religion or whatever belief of his [her] choice.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18

Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion.

The last thing I want to say that I choose to be a Muslim because I believe Islam is the truth. But why I believe Islam is the truth? Because I believe Muhammad is messenger of Allah, and Al Qur’an is the book of Allah.

And Now you have to answer What you Choose? And Why?

By Nouran Radwan

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/studyguides/religion.html