What is the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion?

The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is a basic human right and is enshrined in international human rights law. In Colorado, this right is secured by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Colorado’s Bill of Rights. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion protects the right for all individuals to believe, or not, what they choose and to practice their beliefs without government interference or fear of discrimination. This right includes all aspects of religious observance, including attendance at religious services, prayer, and the right to religious education. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion also includes the right to hold non-religious beliefs and manifest those beliefs in worship, observance, practice, and teaching. It protects individuals from discrimination based on their beliefs or lack thereof. It also allows individuals to change their religion or beliefs without fear of punishment or coercion. The United States Supreme Court has held that individuals have both the freedom to express their beliefs and the right to abstain from expressing beliefs they do not hold. As embodied in the First Amendment, freedom of expression includes both rights and the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

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What is the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion?

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