Religious Freedom Law in Indiana

Religious freedom is a cornerstone of America.  Right up there with all the other freedoms our founding fathers envisioned some 238 years ago.

Indiana Governor Pence says that the law he recently signed does not encourage discrimination, but instead, protects the personal, religious beliefs of all Hosiers.  No one can dispute the upholding of individual beliefs.  Again, a solid American principle.

So, why all the backlash.  Huge corporations threatening to withdraw their business.  The NCAA rethinking the Final Four.  Signs going up in businesses saying "We serve Everyone".

Perhaps things are not as simple as they seem.

Right now the world is locked in mortal battle with disparate groups around the globe who profess a religious faith that they believe is the one true way to salvation.  Whereas Jesus said "love your neighbor as you would love yourself," many churches add caveats, i.e., side comments.  Such as: "Love the sinner, but hate the sin."  Most often applied to the GLBT community.

All of us have difficulty with those things in life we do not understand, especially when we feel they may harm us or our families by their very existence, even if these fears are unproven.  Sometimes these "feelings" become personal beliefs and we find ourselves choosing sides, passing laws, or accepting some while excluding others.

At their most benign, beliefs are private matters born on emotion and fed by ideas (not always our own) and life experience.  "Private" is the key word here.  As an American you may believe what you want, attend the church of your choice, participate in rituals and adopt a creed.

Things get blurry, however, when we take that belief and use it to deny our fellow human beings the same privileges we would go to our death to preserve.  When we reach this point, we have moved from belief to judgment; and this is just one step away from intolerance and hate.  To totally adhere to the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, one cannot have it both ways.  In other words, we cannot award these privileges only to those we deem worthy.

If a starving man offends your religion for one reason or the other, would you still deny him a hot meal and a place to stay?  If a person chooses to love differently from you, and your religion finds it offensive, would you deny him or her food at your grocery, a cake from your bakery, and best wishes for a long and happy life at his or her wedding?

Use this law to protect those aspects of your religion that affect your right to worship how, when and where you wish and with whom you wish.  But take care not to assume that because of your beliefs you are also entitled to judge another, exclude another, or condemn another publicly.

The New Testament is filled with many, many things, but at its core is  a single thread:  "Judge not lest you be judged.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It couldn't be simpler, my friends.  Do we really need laws to codify common decency and humanity?

Our world's future is begging us to find common ground.  To listen.  To learn. To trust.  To take risks by reaching out to others not like ourselves.  We have tried the other way and it is apparent to all who care to see that it simply does not work!