Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right that allows individuals and communities to hold, practice, and change their religious beliefs freely, or to choose not to follow any religion at all. It encompasses the right to manifest religion or belief through teaching, worship, practice, and observance, both publicly and privately

. In the United States, freedom of religion is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which includes two key clauses:

• The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or favoring one religion over another, ensuring separation of church and state

• The Free Exercise Clause protects individuals' rights to practice their religion freely without government interference, so long as the practice does not violate public morals or laws

This means the government cannot coerce individuals to follow or reject a religion, nor can it discriminate against people based on their religious beliefs or lack thereof

. Freedom of religion also protects minority faiths and those with no religious belief, ensuring their rights to worship or not worship are respected

. Globally, freedom of religion is recognized in major human rights conventions and is considered essential for religious tolerance and pluralism

. In summary, freedom of religion is the right to believe, practice, change, or abstain from religion without government interference or discrimination, supported by legal protections that maintain religious liberty and the separation of religion and state