The Hobby-Lobby case was just settled by the U.S. Supreme Court, and it made a lot of people happy and a lot of people angry. It dealt with the right of owners of businesses to decline to offer to their employees forms of birth control which the owners believe to be a method of abortion, where offering it would violate the religious beliefs of the business owners.
It was important because it determines who we are as a nation – a nation where a person’s religion is respected. Can our government tell citizens what to do, when doing so violates his or her religious beliefs? Relying on the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act for their authority, the U.S. Supreme Court’s answer was, No.
To understand in what high esteem our federal government holds the place of religion in our society, it is important to note that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was passed unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives and by the U.S. Senate with only three dissenting votes and was signed by President Bill Clinton.
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If you are a person who feels that the
Hobby-Lobby decision infringes on your rights…
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The bill states, “Government shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion…” The law provided two exceptions where government may intrude upon our religious liberty: One, the burden must be essential for the “furtherance of a compelling government interest.” Generally, it is compelling when it relates to constitutional issues, and is not merely routine. Two, the proposed law must be the least restrictive way to advance the government interest.
In America today, there is a growing segment of our population that considers itself secular, constituting 15 percent in 2008, up from 8.2 percent in 1990 (per American Religious Identification Survey). Our growing secularization is creating ever-greater tension, and is coincidentally one of the elements that is generating gridlock in Washington.
As America examines what it believes and why it believes it, an increasing number are shedding their faith, while others are growing deeper in theirs. As a result, clashes are likely to intensify in the upcoming years before they abate. As we clash in the war of ideas, it is fortunate that our nation has courts where differences are adjudicated. Also happily, we are a law-abiding people who don’t use guns to settle such disputes.
If you are a person who feels that the Hobby-Lobby decision infringes on your rights, I hope that you can, in balance, weigh the motivations of those who brought this case before our courts, and in the process also see the many benefits people of faith create for your life. These people are reared to live their lives to show honor to their parents, to be honest, loving, respectful, faithful, and not to steal, kill, lie, among other teachings which make life better for us all.
It is not easy for millions of people to live together harmoniously, but we can thank our Founding Fathers for the constitution they established for us which has made this possible.
From The Bible
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. From Proverbs 3
Villas – I guess Kamala Harris was just too honest, too intelligent and too sane of a person to win an election in a racist, sexist, backward country like America.
