Religious Clothing Restrictions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Religious Clothing Restrictions - Essay Example In most cases, the wearers of religious symbols such as crosses, crucifixes and prayer beads, hijabs, burqas and niqabs are genuine religious people with a strong and real personal connection with religion. In other minority cases, people do wear religious symbols especially crosses and crucifixes as fashion accessories while some Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews wear these attire and symbols due to the politics of identity. However, this discussion proves that, a majority of these people who put on these religious clothing are honest followers of their respective religion. It is important for people to respect other people’s religious beliefs, and consequently abolish the restrictions imposed on the wearing of religious clothing; this is because most people wear religious attire as an expression of their respect for their traditions and religion. Wearing these clothes gives people a religious identity, and gives them a sense of self awareness and awareness of the requirements of their beliefs and traditions. Most of these people believe that wearing this clothes enhances their commitment to spiritual life and that affirming this to the public only strengthens their belief (Grimm). It is the work of the followers of a particular religious belief to decide among themselves what religious dress and symbols are appropriate in light of the teachings of their religion. Criticizing people’s policies and religious belief on clothing and religious symbol is usually received as criticism. of not only the individual, but the religion as well. Making observations in a prejudiced and uncourteous manner about the religious and traditional clothes and symbols of certain members of society would appear to be racial or religious discrimination which is against civil and human rights. In a democratic society, people should be accorded many rights, religion included. The right to religion translates to the right to express ones faith through actions, belief and even dress code. In Britain for example, the Government has expressed its social commitment to religious by promoting a diverse society with different faiths whose followers are universally treated as citizens of t he United Kingdom. In France on the other hand, the government officially banned the wearing of facial veils; this comes at an age where most Muslim women are married to domineering men who force them to wear veils. Some of the