Considerations regarding tolerance and freedom of religious beliefs in Colombia since the political constitution of 1991

CONSIDERACIONES EN TORNO A LA TOLERANCIA Y LA LIBERTAD DE CULTOS EN COLOMBIA A PARTIR DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN POLÍTICA DE 1991

This article analyzes some of the transformations of the notion of freedom of religious convictions derived from the new approach on the matter that the Political Constitution of 1991 brought to Colombian society. An analysis was carried out between the Political Constitution of 1886 and that of 1991, showing how the principle of religious tolerance was introduced in Colombia. This principle also means respect for those agnostic and/or atheist people, who prefer to believe in the use of human reason to decide for themselves about their life principles. This text presents three religious events that occurred in France before the Revolution, that is, before the development of the ideas of the French Enlightenment, as examples of how dangerous religious authoritarianism can be. These facts are presented to make us realize the importance of respect for individual freedoms, and above all the importance of using human reason to free oneself from the blindfolds that beliefs impose, and even more so when those beliefs become fanaticism.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21017/Rev.Repub.2023.v35.a155