Religious Freedom Is Not The Right To Practice Prejudice


Source: Danlev/Dan Leveille via en.wikipedia.org
Source: Danlev/Dan Leveille via en.wikipedia.org


Under the U.S. Constitution, the government cannot force a person to engage in a religious action nor stop you from exercising your freedom of religion. It does not require people to change their religious beliefs, nor does it allow employers to discriminate based on religion. It is generally understood, however, religious freedom is not a good excuse for avoiding the responsibilities of a job you are paid to do.

Kim Davis is a county clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue marriage certificates to LGBT couples. She said she was working “under God’s authority” and declared she it was her right of religious freedom. She now sits in jail for contempt of court.

Kim Davis couldn’t be fired because she was an elected official, and there was no legal precedent for firing her for this type of discrimination. She could, however, be put in jail for for refusing to do her job. She did have the options of letting her clerks handle LGBT marriage applications, use of marriage licenses at the state level, changing marriage license forms to remove her name, or of simply quitting. She refused all four options. Constitutionally speaking, it was unacceptable that she could simply refuse to allow LGBTs the right to marriage. When she took her oath for the position of county clerk, she swore to serve the people of the county, not just the ones whose beliefs are similar to her own. Using her own beliefs while in the role of a government official breaks a law known as the First Amendment. A law designed to protect religious freedom.

Rand Paul, Bobby Jindall, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, and Ted Cruz are supporting her prejudicial actions using her religious freedom as an argument for her behavior. It is astonishing these individuals, who are running for President of the United States, have such a poor understanding of the constitution. They claim to support her religious freedom, but in fact, are supporting her right to discriminate against people who hold different beliefs.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states everyone in the United States has the right to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all.

This country’s founding fathers, who were of different religious backgrounds themselves, decided the best way to protect religious freedom was to keep government and religion separate. This kept certain religions from creating discriminatory laws and asserting their will on others with different beliefs. They created the First Amendment in the constitution to guarantee the separation of church and state. This is a fundamental freedom, and is a major reason why the United States has managed to avoid many religious wars and battles.

GOP hopefuls supporting Kim Davis, or supporting the right of a government officials to act on their prejudices, are reacting to an emotionally charged situation. Their arguments are manipulative in the short term, and take a stand against the First Amendment of the constitution. Ted Cruz made a nonsensical statement in support of discrimination and prejudice,

“Today, judicial lawlessness crossed into judicial tyranny. Today, for the first time ever, the government arrested a Christian woman for living according to her faith. … I stand with Kim Davis. Unequivocally.”

This kind of rhetoric from a presidential hopeful is a little on the frightening side. Religious freedom is the right to worship within the church of you choice, to start a new religion, or to decide you don’t believe in a god. It is not an invitation to practice prejudice based on personal beliefs.

 

Keith is also a freelance writer. He has written an alternative physics book titled the Ultra-Space Field Theory, and 2 sci-fi novels. Keith has been following politics, and political promises, for the last forty years. He gave up his car, preferring to bicycle and use public transport. Keith enjoys yoga, mini adventures, spirituality, and chocolate ice cream.