People toss about the phrase 'religious freedom', but most of the time they aren't talking about any kind of religious equality, they are talking about 'freedom' in the sense that it is technically legal to believe in a particular religion...and yet practically speaking, when you try to practice many religions you are met with road blocks, intolerance...and outright hatred.
There are SO many things in our modern world that are frustrating if you aren't a follower of whatever the dominant religion is where you live. Where I live, that means that anyone who isn't Christian (of some flavor) will get treated as if their religion is less than, or in some cases flat out evil. It doesn't matter what the tenets of the religion actually are...if it's not the mainstream winner, many people will assume the worst (often because THEIR religion told them that everyone else was wrong). The really sad thing (in my mind) is that even within the religious majority, different versions of the same religion will denounce each other, so they really do practice "if you don't believe exactly what I do, you are evil and wrong and I need to try to convert you to save your eternal soul....I'm doing this for YOU!!!" And honestly that's a really messed up way to approach things.
But let's talk practical. Almost everything that a Christian could do, as part of their religious practice, I can't do. All the major Christian holidays are recognized as days people will want off, to spend with their families or do religious stuff...but I would have to take personal days to get any of my holidays off. In a truly equal (and free!) world, then no one's religious holidays would be recognized, but everyone would be able to get the days that are important to them off.
When it comes to religious iconography, we see crosses everywhere, and often full blown Jesus statues in public (or governmental) spaces. But when I wear my pentacle ring, I have to think about where I am going that day, and who might see it (and react badly to it). Again, in an equal world, no single religion's iconography should be enshrined in public (non-religious) spaces. People would be free to wear whatever symbols have meaning to them, and of course religious building would have their symbols displayed....but banks, court rooms, schools and other public spaces that cater to people of all religions wouldn't have any religious symbols displayed (because it is flat out impossible to represent everyone).
And let's talk about talking. The number of random conversations where God gets thrown in, and people expect that to carry weight with strangers (especially with people who follow other religions), is just insane. But if I were to mention any deity I work with, either I am ridiculed or told to keep my beliefs out of public view. I love a good discussion, and I love talking with people of other faiths, but you can't just keep shoving your faith in people's faces and expect them to never share anything about their own.
Probably the worst is when it comes to laws...and the way in which followers of the mainstream religion feel it's okay to use their religious tenants to require everyone to act accordingly. If the ONLY argument you have for a law (or to oppose a law) is based on a religious text, you shouldn't be allowed to enter into the legal discussion. It is beyond ridiculous that we have ANY laws that are based on the beliefs of a religion...and yet, there are SO many politicians and even general people who argue based on this logic..MY religion says this is wrong, therefor it should be illegal...because god says so! I honestly struggle to understand how anyone can have this mindset, but obviously it's pretty common.
And the thing that frustrates me most about this whole religious freedom situation is that I honestly believe that the majority of the people who follow the dominant religion are being deliberately kept uneducated (or maliciously mislead) about what other religions actually do and believe. They are told horrible things by their religious leaders, in order to keep them in the fold (and to convince them they need to recruit more people to their faith), and it's hard not to see the monetary motivations when we have things like mega-churches and televangelists and one of the 'rules' of the faith involves giving a portion of your income to the church. The people in power want to stay in power, and one of the biggest tools they have is keeping their flock ignorant.
I think we still have a long way to go, but I can imagine a world where people of all faiths live in harmony. The first step is mass education. People need to understand, at least a little, what other faiths believe in and practice. They need to look beyond the things they have been told (by people outside of any given faith) and instead talk to people who actually walk that path. Don't ask a Christian what Pagan's do...ask a Pagan! And then ask a few more, because one point of data isn't enough!
I feel like if we understood each other a little better, we would see the many ways in which religions help people...all kinds of religions. We would start to learn that there is no 'one true religion' because we are all individuals, and what works for one of us simply can not work for everyone. And we would be armed with honest information about what other religions do...and not fear mongering rumors intended to make you afraid.
I have always thought that it would be fantastic if your personal religious holidays were honored in the workplace....because I have no problem working on Christmas or Easter, but I would love to have the option of taking Yule or Samhain off! And spreading out holidays like that means that you are more likely to have people who are willing to work on a day that someone else might feel really bad working on.
I have hopes that one day (in my lifetime even!) religious freedom will start to actually mean what it implies. That we will live in a world where it's okay to be whatever religion you are, and where accommodations are made to allow you to live (and work) in a way that aligns with your beliefs...the same way that so many followers of the religious majority already do.
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