When I listen to the people defending Kim Davis and listen to Donald Trump’s promise to defend religious freedom I am astonished at the total distortion of the religious right of what religious freedom is supposed to mean. Religious Freedom is supposed to mean that anyone is free to follow one’s religion no matter how bizarre, In other words we will not prosecute anyone because of their religion as long as their beliefs do NOT force other people to live according to the tenets of their religion and as long as the practice of that religion does not break the laws of the country and how these laws are interpret by the courts. Of course they have the right to legally try to change these laws but they cannot apply their rules until that happens. If we allow their ‘god’ to overrule the countries laws, which ‘god’ would have preference, the Christian God, Allah, Jehova, Krishna, or any of the other current gods in the current world? There is also a limit to some extreme practices which, if they counter current law, would not qualify under the religious freedom concept. We would not allow the stoning of an adulteress, nor should we allow parents who believe in the power of prayer to jeopardize the lives of their children by withholding modern medical treatment. There are many other sample that I am sure you can think of. Persons who, because of a change in the law, do not agree with that law, and refuse to do their job have the freedom to resign on principle and fight the battle through the legitimate way of advocating a change or reversal of the law. That would be the honorable thing to do, but it is hypocritical to want to hang on to their job and cry discrimination. In Kim Davis case, she is actually discriminating against the people who are only simply demanding she do her job. The frightening fact, that the upside down reasoning, that she is called on not to discriminate, is called discrimination against her, is not only her excuse but also that it is supported by a candidate running to become president of the United States.
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