Read this and get schooled: Religious belief ought not to be considered a sufficient justification for disobedience. The reality is that insurance providers and employers are mandated by law to provide birth control. Whether you agree with that law or not is immaterial. It is the law. Allowing an employer to break the law based solely on the existence (or claim) of a sincerely held religious belief means that any law is subject to similar noncompliance. Laws exist for a reason. We may not always agree with them, but we have a prima facie obligation to obey. Call it a social contract we enter into as a society, call it compliance for the greater good...whatever the rationale I know of no sufficient justification for a lawless society. Since religion is undefinable (even Christians disagree as to the meaning of Bible passages, which edicts ought to be followed in modern day life, etc.) it ought not to be a justification for disobedience. Similarly it is impossible to prove (or disprove) the existence of a sincerely held religious belief, or that such a belief is the sole motivation (independent of politics, age, race, etc.) for disobedience. Such ambiguity leaves no law immune from a justification for disobedience. Could genital mutilation no longer be prohibited by law? Could ritualistic animal sacrifice no longer be prohibited by law? Could Satanists desecrate a church without fear of legal recourse? Is there a threshold for what qualifies as religious belief? Can I claim religion as a justification for disobedience if it is a religion I created and only I follow? I hope the ramifications of this ruling are starting to become clear... If we, as citizens, disagree with a law we have the power to demand the law be changed. We have the right to engage in civil disobedience, so long as we are prepared to accept the legal ramifications of our disobedience. We ought not, however, to be afforded the ability to disobey any law we choose by claiming a religious exemption. My argument has nothing to do with whether I believe religion is something we ought to promote or discourage. The reality is that the nature of religion and belief ought to disqualify a religious justification for disobedience. If we, as a modern society, value law and agree that lawless is not desirable or sustainable, we ought to reject any justification for disobedience that cannot be defined specifically or verified independently. Allowing such a justification for disobedience will undoubtedly increase instances of disobedience, and lead to a more lawless society. At any rate, it would be irrational to assert that such a religious exemption will reduce lawlessness. -Larry White
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 23:01:55 +0000
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