ABSTRACT
Notions of religious freedom have a prominent position in the United States Constitution. This chapter highlights the limitations of religious freedom and the justifications for their necessity, and the various sociopolitical arguments regarding their presence and application. It examines just how important religion is to people in the United States. Complete religious liberty can certainly be seen as being fundamentally aligned with the public good. The chapter focuses on an in-depth exploration of a couple of avenues in which the battle over religious freedom and limitation is being fought. It also examines two distinct areas where controversy and court cases have sprung up regarding religious freedom: schools and medicine. The chapter then examines people's freedom to treat an illness in a way that is congruent with their religious belief. Restrictions are levied by state agents at all levels of government, and people are at the mercy of strong social norms.
