Tuesday, March 31, 2015

What Religious Freedom Means


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution/the-amendments/amendment-1-freedom-of-religion-press-expression

That is the first amendment. When it comes to religion, it says two things:

1. Congress cannot declare a specific religion to be the national religion
2. You have the freedom to PRACTICE any religion you want.

PRACTICE

THAT'S the key word in our American 'Holy Wars'.


Practice means you can take off from work when your religion says (example: Sundays)

Practice means you can display or do what's needed to perform a religious ritual or tradition (lighting a menorah)

Practice means you can dress as your religion dictates (Kufi's, Muslim skull caps)


Nothing in the amendment allows religion to be used as discrimination! Quite the opposite! It is written to allow people to practice their religion without it effecting basics like their job status.

Practice DOESN'T mean you can refuse to do business with a same sex couple

Practice DOESN'T mean you can fire a non-married woman for getting pregnant

Practice DOESN'T mean you can fire a woman for receiving fertility treatment

Practice DOESN'T give you the right to fire or pass on an employee because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender

Their religious beliefs might be different from yours. They have the right to use birth control or love who they really love. If you are going to try to prevent them from having these things because of your own prejudices, they have the right to use their religious freedom to make you do them anyway!

Using religion as an excuse to force these prejudices on others, is the equivalent to "Honor Killings". It's hypocritical to be against "Honor Killings" and support using religion to avoid covering employee birth control, refusing to hire or do business with gay people, and any other form of outright discrimination!

1practice


: to live according to the customs and teachings of (a religion)

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practice

You are entitled to believe what from your religion makes sense to you. But this law means you can't force that on someone else. Just like you wouldn't want their beliefs being forced on you! They have a right to their own beliefs. If you choose to believe the part of your religion that is anti-GLBT, anti-birth control, and anti-fertility treatment, you are choosing to be a prejudice person. That's your decision. It crosses the line when you impose your views on those who disagree and try to prevent them from their own rights to freedom. You don't have to like that same sex couples can legally marry or that some women use fertility treatment or birth control, but it's not your place to make it so they CAN'T!

No comments:

Post a Comment