"The BAPS case should serve as a cautionary tale for policymakers, journalists, and activists. Trafficking laws are essential tools for protecting vulnerable populations, but when wielded indiscriminately, they can become instruments of cultural and religious repression. Minority religions, already stigmatized by labels like “cult,” are especially at risk. In the end, the dismissal of the trafficking charges against BAPS is a victory for common sense applied to religion. It is a reaffirmation of the principle that religious liberty includes the right to define one’s own spiritual path, even when that path involves sacrifice, discipline, and communal labor."