“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the free exercise thereof…” So say the first words of the First Amendment of the Constitution. However, those words, in their practical application, have been twisted into a false interpretation of their intent.
In the United States, these words are meant to prevent abridging the free exercise thereof if it is a Judeo-Christian flavor.
If Ford Motor Corporation refused to allow women employees to drive to work, or buy Ford cars, because of an interpretation of the Quran, what would the reaction be?
If Amazon needed a husband’s approval for any purchase by a woman, what would the reaction be?
If the State of Rhode Island accepted the decree of an Imam on the divorce of a couple and deprived the woman of any child custody or financial support, what would the reaction be?
In the 21st century, our President interjects himself into the personal lives of millions of American women out of concern for “risky sexual behavior” using the cover of supporting religious freedom.
All that one must do is look at the list of organizations that support these latest Dark Ages policy pronouncements to understand the real motivation. These groups miss the days of Biblical imposed male dominance over women. They yearn for a time when men clothed in the robes of priestly garb decided what is moral. They crave the past heyday of influence they once held over American society.
This incestuous intermixing of Christian religious philosophy with secular government is more dangerous to our freedoms than any ISIS terrorist because it comes from within.
No President, in particular, this President, has any place deciding what is moral. Humans have an innate sense of morality. Our problem is we often lose sight in our quest for bigger and better things. Where we’ve failed is in setting examples of responsible behavior for our children. Much of the failure of moral behavior takes place in the halls of Congress and the White House.
Religion does not hold an exclusive on morality. Turning back the clock based on the false memory of a more moral past is self-deception. The purpose of these acts is garnering political support under the false umbrella of religious freedom. Allowing any religious group to set standards is dangerous. How moral was the Catholic Church when faced with the altar boy crisis? And how complicit was our government in ignoring such “moral” behavior?
I don’t watch many TV shows, but I’ve been intrigued by the show The Handmaid’s Tale. It doesn’t take much of a leap of faith (pun intended) to envision an America where such a society could arise when backed by the power of government.
They would do it for our good because God told them so.
The history of moral standards by organizations, be it governmental or religious, is fraught with examples of disaster. Allowing companies to opt out of specific health care provisions under the guise of religious freedom is disingenuous. An ominous portent of sliding down a slippery slope to Theocracy.
What’s next? We can allow companies to end health care for people living with cancer. God gave them disease, who are we to cure it?
Exactly this. I see religious reasons pushed as excuses to cut funding to women’s healthcare. Birth control pills are Rx for other issues besides feritlity. One quarter of all births are covered through medicare, funding for CHI lapsed 2 weeks ago. Yet the biggest pushers of these are professed christians. Newt Gingrich is on wife 3 who is the ambassador to tell Holy See. Trump has 5 kids by 3 different women, and brags about grabbing women. But by all means, arbitrate morality through your version of christianity.
It never ceases to amaze me the “blind faith” of Trump supporters