Freedom, Rights, Religion and all that Jazz

Freedom: the quality or state of being free; the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.

Rights: something to which one has a just claim; the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled.

Religion: the belief in a god or in a group of gods; an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods; an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group.

What the law says about religion and freedom and rights: 

Amendment 1: Freedom of Religion, Speech and the Press; Rights of Assembly and Petition [1]

Amendment 9: Rights Retained by the People (Some feared that the listing of some rights in the Bill of Rights would be interpreted to mean that other rights not listed were not protected. 9th was adopted to prevent such an interpretation)  [1]

Amendment 10: Powers Retained by the States and the People Confirms that the states or people have all powers not given to national government. (ie: marriage) [1]

Amendment 14: “All persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the U.S. and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the U.S.; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” (section 1).  [1]

Religious Freedom Restoration Act: An act to protect the free exercise of religion.

So now that I have given you necessary information and research, let's begin talking about the latest stirrings in politics: the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

People are up in arms over the latest law that both Indiana and Arkansas have recently passed. But before I continue, did you know that the following states also have similar laws already passed? (Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island). [2]

So back to this RFRA law and what it means and what people are interpreting it as. Many are up in arms because they believe that it means that people will be denied services at businesses based on the owners or employees religious beliefs. The LGBT community are upset because it means that they could be discriminated against because of their sexual preference. People of different religions are upset because it means that they could be denied services from a business that has a different belief system than they do. ALL of them are right.

If you look at this law, it's all about protecting people's free exercise of religion. Meaning: if my religion is such that it does not believe in homosexuality or your god; then I am within my rights to refuse service. 

This is a discriminatory law! Do you know how many religions are out there?! We're not talking just the main religions of the world, we're talking about ALL of them. From Aladura to Zoroastrainism, and all of those in between. That's a lot of discrimination! 

But what does our Constitution say about this? Well, the Constitution is a contradiction. We keep making amendments to cancel out or improve upon or add to whatever is currently going on in the country. Amendment 1 says I have the right to freedom of religion (and speech and press and the right to assemble...like the Avengers). Amendment 9 says I have rights retained by the people; meaning that just because my rights haven't been formally mentioned in the illustrious Constitution, doesn't mean that I don't have them. Amendment 10 says I have powers that the national government may not have given me (like marriage). Amendment 14 says that government (state and federal)  cannot diminish my privileges and that I have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So, um, what does that mean?

On the one hand the Constitution allows me to practice my freedom however I see fit (short of murder or theft); on the other hand it allows me to pursue happiness in any way that I see fit (short of breaking the law). On another hand, I have certain rights that just because they aren't listed, doesn't mean they don't exist and that I don't have them. See where the confusion comes in? Everyone is justified in their beliefs, everyone is legally right...BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!?!

I'm still trying to find out. I mean I have questions! Why is it that everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness, but only if they marry someone of the opposite sex? Why is it that it's OK to practice my religion, but really only accepted if it's Christianity...you Islamic people are soooooooo violent (that was sarcasm FYI)...because bigots and violence only ever occur in other religions. Christianity is the model of tolerance and love...which is why we discriminate and call it sticking to our beliefs, or why we used to justify slavery by using the Bible or had Holy Wars, or continuously invade Islamic countries under the banner of trying to improve their government....but I digress. Why is everyone so worried about other people's personal business?!?!

Listen, if you own your own business, kudos to you for helping to employee people and making your own way. But do we really need to discriminate? First, it's we can't serve the LGBT community because our religious beliefs don't coincide with their lifestyle (FYI: there are plenty of people in the LGBT community who are Christians). What if YOUR lifestyle doesn't coincide with someone else's religious beliefs (*gasp* because Christians lifestyles are the PERFECT model for how lives are supposed to be lived...assuming you are following Christ and leading a Christian life...in which case we wouldn't be having this argument). Next, it will be we can't serve this race or that race because my religion believes that we are the only pure race. Then, it'll be we can't serve this sex or that sex. Then, it'll be we can't serve teachers or police or POLITICIANS, or Democrats or Republicans, or whatever nonsense and foolishness people can and will come up with. Some of you will say, "No, that's ridiculous" and I respect your opinion...I just don't agree with it. It's a slippery slope, once you open the door to discrimination, someone is going to bang it wide open and let in the rest of the filth. 

I'm Christian and I firmly believe that Christ taught love and tolerance...you know, love thy neighbor as Christ loved the Church. There is no hierarchy of sin. If you believe that the Bible speaks out against homosexuality, then know that it also speaks out against lying, stealing, killing, envy, greed, drunkenness, lasciviousness, fornication, and adultery. Sin is sin, deal with it...and your own sin. Worry about YOUR salvation first. 

If your religious values will not allow you to service someone else because of how they choose to live or because of anything else that they cannot control, that is your right...but I also hope you refuse to serve liars, adulterers, murderers, rapists, fornicators, and all the other sinners that populate the world...because if you don't, then you ARE discriminating..and trying to hide it under your version of Christianity. Because if we're being honest and realistic, if you chose to run your business based on  your Christian values, you'd be out of business because you wouldn't be able to serve ANYONE because as Romans 3:23 states: "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

[1]http://isite.lps.org/dhersh/webextras/amendments_overview.pdf
[2]http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/27/19-states-that-have-religious-freedom-laws-like-indianas-that-no-one-is-boycotting/