Core myths regarding the belief of religious freedom in the United States and the intersections between religious intolerance and other forms of oppression.
One of the core myth regarding the belief of religious freedom in the US and the intersections between religious intolerance and other forms of oppression is that the United States was established so that every member belonging to any religion is able to practice their religious beliefs freely without fear or oppression. Whatever the exact contours regarding the truth behind this myth, it is clear that several facets of the US society are informed, defined, shaped, or provided their structure and vocabulary by religion. The concepts of religious freedom and expression are amongst those considered the societies’ most foundational. The people of the United States have the “freedom of religion,” and the right to choose as well as practice their faith of preference. However, having a choice is not similar to have the choice supported and accepted rather than marginalized, ignored, or demonized.
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"Religious Oppression".
The intersections between religious intolerance and other forms of oppression are embedded within the systematic dominance and the various privileges enjoyed by Christianity at every level of the U.S society. For instance, the modern present conflation of terror and Islam has increased hostilities between different believers with terrorism assumed to be an Islam activity. Religious intolerance and other forms of oppression identifies that the disadvantages related to non-Christianity are witnessed in both at the interpersonal level, and also they are present at an institutional and societal level where people are punished, socialized, guided, and rewarded in such a manner that maintains and perpetuates the oppressive structures. The government, educational systems, and media are some of the common institutional structures that create and maintain form of religious expression. Similar with other forms of oppression, religious oppression is an ideology that asserts superiority as well as being more than a condition of being, specific view a person is forced to assume or take with respect to oneself.
Issues of campus climate/safe spaces relating to religious oppression
Religious diversity is common in the many colleges in the United States. Students come from different religious backgrounds such as Christianity, Hindu, and Islam with most colleges majorly comprising Christian students (Modesto-Area Atheists Speak Up, Seek Tolerance, 56). American colleges and universities are charged with the responsibility of establishing a climate or a safe space characterized by equality in enjoying their religious practices. However, some issues have been reported in relation to religious oppression. For instance, it has been reported that Hindu students are made fun of when they pray to the elephant. In addition, students are sometimes forced to participate in and listen to prayers that are not in line with their religious affiliation (Essay 56: Modesto-Area Atheists Speak Up, Seek Tolerance). In some cases, students get harassed for being considered as non-believers.
In addition, it is common that professors are increasingly less informed with the religious diversity related with their students. The situation can result to mistaken assumptions by professors or diagnoses in which the professor confuses the religious diversity of a student with intellectual and behavioral insufficiencies and differences (Essay 58: Religious Diversity in Schools). In a scenario where the Christian students are not satisfied with the specific degree and the education level offered at a public school and opt to join a local parochial Christian-based school, there are several options offered for them to choose from. In contrast, the members of non-Christian communities have very limited or few options for parochial education even if they the finance required to enroll in their local parochial schools that reflects their ethnoreligious traditions (Essay 58: Religious Diversity in Schools). In some cases, non-Christian students in colleges are not allowed to dress according to their religious affiliation. Christian sponsored colleges ban some specific mode of dressing that is practiced by other religions such as Hindu and Islam (Essay 57: Creating Identity-sate Spaces on college Campuses for Muslim Students). Students in those colleges are forced to dress according to the requirements of the institution.
