On Dignitatis Humanae

Freedom has always been something we want to achieve. We have been given free will to
do what we want. However, we are not free from the consequences brought by our decisions and
actions. And there are times where we are restricted by external factors to do what we want. In
this essay, I will be talking about religious freedom.
Religious freedom is said to have two important aspects--- freedom for and freedom
from. Freedom from talks about an individual’s right to not be forced into doing something
against his/her will. We are free beings after all. We cannot be controlled, even by the state or
the government itself. Freedom for is about going after the truth, specifically religious truth. And
so, religious freedom requires an environment in which people can freely express themselves
according to their religious beliefs and where people can seek and explore more about
spirituality. It also involves asking questions about one’s religious beliefs. Through this freedom,
the human dignity is upheld.
This topic about a person’s dignity is important as it shows how we are worthy and loved.
It reminds us of how God has loved us enough that He sacrificed His son to redeem us. Jesus
endured all of His sufferings, from being mocked and disrespected to being tortured and hanged
on the cross, so that He may save us from our sins. It reminded me of love. Love is shown when
we respect each other. When we preserve and uphold human dignity, we are expressing our love
for humankind as well. And so, I would be quoting Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” as
it suddenly came to mind while I was typing the love part: “No matter what they take from me,
they can't take away my dignity. Because the greatest love of all is happening to me. I found the
greatest love of all inside of me.” Human dignity will always be within us, as God Himself
created humanity, and we are created out of love.
Overall, I have learned from this topic that external factors, such as the law and the
environment in general, have a great influence on religious expression and freedom.
Unfortunately, not everyone and not all states are receptive or respectful to other religious
beliefs. What we can do though, as members of society, is to keep our minds and hearts open for
one another. We should be open for dialogue even with people we have different beliefs from.
The change within us can contribute to the overall change in the world. After all, it is us who
shape our community.