Religious Freedom Under Attack

New Report Finds Religious Freedom Under Attack

Religious Freedom Under Attack
SETH DRUM is licensed under CC BY 2.0

What happens when someone’s belief interferes with someone else? Can I refuse you service because it violates my religion? Do I have to pay my employees for health care costs if my preacher tells me that is a mortal sin? Can I display or talk about my faith in a public setting?

New Report Finds Religious Freedom Under Attack [/tweetthis]

These are questions that are at the heart of a debate raging in the United States. With the Supreme Court reviewing a case of a baker who refused to make a cake for a gay marriage based on it violating his religious beliefs, we are seeing both sides of the issue claiming injustice and discrimination.

A new report by the legal group “First Liberty” has documented 1,400 attacks on religious freedom and a 15% increase in legal battles about this issue in the past year. The director stated that this was just “the tip of the iceberg.” The explanation is that many disputes over religious freedom are not brought to court because those accused are too afraid or just comply.

There is some reason to doubt these studies findings. It is done by an organization that has been at the forefront of defending religious freedom. Therefore, any conclusions about the document could be partially biased.

Additionally, religious freedom has been used as a cover for discrimination. This includes refusing important help, like counseling or insurance, to LGBT or those wishing for contraception. While the report does list obvious examples of religious practices being denied it is important to note that there is the potential for the claim to be abused for a nefarious purpose.

The balance between the ability to practice a religion and serving as a member of a diverse society is always precarious. The most important aspect is to not allow the denial of basic human rights.

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