Reference: US criticizes Asian governments on religious freedom, Bangkok Post, September 21, 2008

It is certainly a good thing that the US promotes genuine religious freedom in Asia (US criticizes Asian governments on religious freedom, Bangkok Post, September 21, 2008). In the US itself the first amendment to the constitution requires that "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" and thereby guarantees genuine religious freedoms to all its citizens. A problem arises however, when you try to define religion. For a religion to be a religion it has to meet certain requirements and if it fails to meet those requirements it may be deemed a cult and denied religious freedoms in the same way or in more severe ways than we do out here in Asia.

Cha-am Jamal
Thailand