The United States and international religious freedom

In 1998, the international religious freedom Act (IRFA) created both the international religious freedom Office in the Department of State and the U.S. Commission on international religious freedom (USCIRF). Since this date, a report has been produced every year within the united states, "reviewing and making policy recommendations on the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations globally". In other words, it evaluates every country on its "religious freedom", designates "countries of particular concern" and makes recommandations to the American government. Hence, the united states tend to impose to the whole world its own conception of what should be the relations between Church and State.

This paper will attempt to show why it is very dangerous for the united states to try to evaluate the religious freedom of other countries and to promote "religious freedom" as a foreign policy goal. The united states, whose foundation is linked with the immigration of people fleeing religious persecution in Europe, has a particular conception of religious freedom, which is reflected in the religious clauses of the First amendment to the united states Constitution, stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". I consider that this conception should not, in any case, be used to judge other countries.