Where Does It End?

In many ways I look forward to the future.  One of the things I most look forward too is watching one of these 'religious protection laws' eventually bite some theist right where it hurts the most.

For example, we are all familiar with the case of the Colorado baker who refused to do a wedding cake for a gay couple, citing his religion for legal protection.  We are also familiar with the Kentucky clerk who refused same-sex couples marriage licenses also citing her religion.  These are just a couple of examples to make my point.

As a result, a number of states have enacted, or are working on enacting laws that protect people who use their religion to discriminate.  They are referred to as 'shields laws".  While the lawmakers repeatedly claim the laws cannot be used for discrimination, the reality is they certainly can be, and are!  There is nothing written in the law when there is a conflict between a religious belief and a civil right -- the way those laws are worded, the religious belief taking precedence.

Here is what I think will eventually happen.  Sooner or later someone is going to use those religious belief to discriminate against other theists.  For example, if I were the owner of the building the Colorado bakery was in, I would cancel their lease.  Or if I were a clerk in the department of motor vehicles, I would refuse to grant a drivers license renewal for that Kentucky clerk.  In each case I would cite my deeply held beliefs that their religious beliefs were interfering with my belief set!

Imagine the hue and cry!  I would thoroughly enjoy watching it!  Imagine if a bank called a mortgage due immediately on one of these theists who use their belief set to discriminate?  Or a restaurant refused service for the Colorado baker and his family?  They would immediately start whining about the whole imaginary 'war on Christians', yet if there are laws protecting religious-based discrimination, the law would not be on the theists side.  Yes, I know you might claim not all belief sets are religious beliefs, but imagine trying to defend that in court.

Back in the mid-to-late 80's two young airmen assigned to Nellis AFB refused to salute the flag or to salute and obey the orders of female officers (The Spokesman-Review) claiming a religious objection.  They were held responsible for their actions and placed in confinement (military jail).

Imagine the difficulties in aligning military requirements and responsibilities with the religious beliefs of all of the members, the hundreds if not thousands of different belief sets.  The military reasoning is simple, your religious beliefs take a step back when it comes to military requirements.  Think about it, refusing to obey an officer due to their gender, or refusing to fulfill duty requirements on whichever holy day your religion mandates?  Military discipline cannot take a back seat.

Where does it end?  Where are the lines to be drawn protecting civil rights, including religious freedoms?  The current laws in work are designed to elevate discrimination through belief set and make it legal.  There is a problem with that.  I am pretty sure that if you line up all the religious belief sets and all the civil rights, you will find that more than likely all the civil rights we have can be negated by one of more of the list of religions.

I know where I believe it should end.  Religious-based discrimination should never be legal and those religious protection laws need to either be dropped -- or at least placed behind other statutes dealing with discrimination.  Civil rights should always come before religious rights, similar to how the military places their requirements ahead of those religious beliefs.

Here is one last example, religious child-care facilities that do not have to adhere to the laws preventing child abuse.  Check out: "Whipped, hit and locked in closets: Life inside some religious day cares".  See what the lack of protection can do to children in religious day care facilities?  Those places should be required to comply with ALL laws and regulations for non-religious day care before putting their religious spin on things.  But no, too many places place their religious beliefs ahead of protecting children!  And now they want to do the same thing for laws against discrimination.

Isn't it Time We Protect Children From Religion?

Do you remember those TV shows, like 'When Sharks Attack" or "When Ghosts Attack"?  I think it's time for one called "When Religion Attacks".  The problem is the usual victims are children.  Yes, a couple of more examples of religious parents inflicting their religion on defenseless children.

I do want to first remind you that back in 2011, Followers of Christ members Dale and Shannon Hickman were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison for the death of their newborn baby in Oregon City.  They have lost all appeals and hopefully they are still serving their sentences!

But, this isn't about them.  Did you know Shannon Hickman has a sister, Sarah Mitchell. The real pity is she now has something else in common with her sister, aside from being members of the same church. She and her husband, Travis, are charged with murder in connection to the death the death of one of her newborn twins.  Same reason, refusing to get medical help and relied on prayer instead.  Being surrounded by 60 fellow church members wasn't much help.

See what I mean when I talk about 'When Religion Attacks'? Unfortunately, all too often it's children like Ian, Neil, Matthew, Austin, Amy, Robyn, Andrew, Harrison, Nancy, Dennis, Arrian, Zachery, Troy, Shauntay, and Rhett. who all died because some people, often their theist parents, believed prayer beats out medical care.

The downside isn't just death, but a life of misery. 20-year-old Mariah Watson, who would like to see her parents prosecuted for what they did to her, or rather what they failed to do.   Mariah has a condition called pulmonary hypertension. Her current situation could have been prevented if doctors had closed the small congenital hole in her heart in her infancy or childhood.  Now she's waiting a risky heart and lung transplant because of all the damage this reparable condition has caused her.  She is permanently disabled and requires a breathing machine or oxygen tank.  She didn't get any medical treatment until she managed it on her own, in her late teens.  I guess rancid olive oil rubbed on the skin isn't as effective as actual medial treatment, who would have thought?

Unlike Oregon, where Hickman and Mitchell lived, Mariah lives in Idaho which has one of those religious shield laws which may be enough to protect her parents from prosecution, even in the event of her death from this treatable condition.  If you wonder why I have issues with religion, now you know!

Inflicting a belief set on a child should be illegal!  Kids aren't allowed to drive, vote, smoke, drink alcohol, join the military, or even hold a job until they reach certain ages.  Those laws are for the protection of the children.  Isn't it time we protected them from religion?