Religious Freedom – Page 96

Updated Policy for Religious Expression in the Military

Jan 29, 2014JerryReligious FreedomReligion, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty

Last week the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) approved a new policy to allow accommodation for religious expression in the military.

“The new policy states that military departments will accommodate religious requests of service members, unless a request would have an adverse effect on military readiness, mission accomplishment, unit cohesion,” U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman, said.

The policy was mainly expected to affect Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, and members of other groups that wear beards or articles of clothing as part of their religion. Accommodation will have to be requested with each change in assignment and will be determined by the new unit’s commander to assure that physical appearances “do not interfere with good order and discipline.”

Many are cautiously optimistic that the DOD’s new directive will protect service members’ freedom to practice and express their faith.

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Should the Government Force You to Bake Cake?

Jan 27, 2014JerryReligious FreedomReligious Freedom, Religious Liberty, Same-Sex Marriage

Should gay people be able to force Christian business owners to violate their religious beliefs? Liberal judges seem to think so.

We’ve heard stories about photographers, bakers, or Christian camp operators being forced by judges to accommodate gay weddings. Never mind the fact that these individuals have clear religious convictions about marriage and homosexuality. Some have found themselves in court, where judges fined them and told them they had to do business with same-sex couples in spite of their religious beliefs.

What person, gay or straight, would want their wedding photographed by a person being forced to take their picture? I can only imagine the quality of the photos. Would you want to eat a wedding cake that a judge had forced someone to bake for you? Of course not.

The goal is not pictures or cake. The real goal is to use the courts to impose a social and political agenda on people who oppose that agenda—people who oppose it not because of arbitrary bias, but because of a sincerely-held religious belief.

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Killing the Duck that Laid the Golden Eggs

Dec 19, 2013Jerry1 CommentHomosexuality, Religious FreedomCurrent Events, Duck Dynasty, ENDA, Homosexuality, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty

You may have seen the news this week that A&E has indefinitely suspended Phil Robertson from filming the hit reality show ‘Duck Dynasty.’

Phil made comments in an interview with GQ calling homosexuality a sin and referencing scripture. His discussion was graphic and doesn’t win a lot of points for tact, but then again, if you watch the show, you know Phil Robertson doesn’t always beat around the bush.

Of course, when GLAAD and others read Phil’s comments, they immediately put in calls to A&E, who airs the show. A&E responded with a statement that read in part:

“[Phil’s] personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.”

Here’s the problem. Say what you will, but Phil Robertson was articulating his deeply-held religious convictions concerning sexual sin (if you read the interview, you know he doesn’t limit the discussion to homosexuality). A&E even says in its statement that these are Phil Robertson’s “personal views” and not those of the network. They could have left it at that; they could have simply said, “Phil believes what he believes; we disagree, but what he believes is his business.” Television networks do that all the time when stars say or do things that are controversial. Instead they fired him.

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