Part II | Outline

Category E | Perspectives

Topic 27 | Standing for and with others

One of the most important ways we can advocate for religious freedom is to stand up for the religious freedom of those not of our faith. Religious freedom must be for all people in all places. In addition to standing for others, we can promote religious freedom when we stand with others in efforts to protect this right.

• Distinction between victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and upstanders. For most of us, the important decision will be whether to be bystanders or upstanders when others are victim of religious bigotry, discrimination, persecution, or even more extreme misconduct.

  • Victims: those whose rights have been violated.
  • Perpetrators: those who violate the rights of others.
  • Bystanders: those who witness the violation of others’ rights and simply stand by.
  • Upstanders: those who witness the violation of others’ rights and stand up for those who are being harmed and who may not be able to stand up for themselves; this may require upstanders to put themselves in harm’s way.

• Key ideas: Standing for others  

  • Bystander passivity can be easier than upstander action for complex reasons, including “peer pressure, fear for the safety of reputation of oneself and others, denial, worries about being overwhelmed by the work and repercussions of standing up, and traditions that put the burden on individual heroism rather than shared responsibility.”

  • Obstacles to upstander behavior can be overcome or mitigated through education and the concerted efforts of individuals, organizations, and communities. These activities may include:

    • encouraging school-aged children to stand up for each other in response to bullying, including religious-based bullying;
    • studying, remembering, and teaching others about the Holocaust;
    • promoting religious literacy;
    • participating in multi-faith events and efforts; and
    • incorporating bias- and stereotype-challenging practices in business or organizational products and programs.

• Examples: Standing for others  

  • Examples of in individual and organizational upstanders who stood up for others’ right to freedom of religion or belief—from the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries, respectively—include:

    • Colonel Thomas Kane, an attorney and military officer, who advocated for the rights of nineteenth-century members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;
    • Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian whose family formed part of a network that saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish people in the Netherlands during World War II; and
    • the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation (NVHC), which reached out to the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and has continued to facilitate the worship of ADAMS members in its synagogues.

• Key ideas: Standing with others  

  • It is important that we not only stand for others’ right to freedom of religion or belief; we must also stand with others in protecting the right itself and demonstrating its value and relevance for all people everywhere.

• Examples: Standing with others  

  • In the United States at the grassroots level, the Religious Freedom Alliance Council supports a network of local Religious Freedom Alliances (RFAs) that facilitate multi-faith gatherings focused on understanding and promoting FoRB locally.
  • At the international level, the International Freedom of Religion or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) is a network of government representatives that (1) coordinates government, parliamentary, and civil society efforts in advancing FoRB worldwide; (2) enhances global advocacy for FoRB; and (3) promotes accountability for those who violate the right to FoRB.