Thursday, July 17, 2014

How Dare They?

In light of the recent Hobby Lobby ruling before the Supreme Court (off the subject, but don't you hate the whole "SCOTUS" thing?), I call on everyone who objects to it to take a step back, look at the facts, and really consider if curbing the religious freedoms of a company's managers- who contrary to popular opinion are really living, breathing people too- is worth the ultimate conclusion of such a stand.

In the interest of full disclosure, my points below are mostly from a Facebook post I posted when sharing an article I read, looking at such an idea.

So I guess if companies should be forced to give up their religious beliefs in order to operate, as some would have us believe, then we need to look at these examples and do what I suggest below.

Each of these suggestions is based on something contained in the corresponding number within the story.

1. Companies should immediately cease from giving to charity, as it may employ someone who objects to giving to others in need.

Of course this sounds absurd, as the rally cry of the Left these days is that corporations are all greedy anyway, but as the article explains, some corporations- and not just Christian ones-make a practice of giving substantial portions of their profits to charitable organizations.  Though you might have trouble finding an employee of a given company opposed to any charitable giving, it's rather easy to imagine someone opposed either to giving so much (and possibly minimizing employee pay or benefits) or the organization that is benefiting.  I find Planned Parenthood wholly abhorrent.  If I worked for a company that gave to them, I might quit my job, I might lead a boycott of the company, and I might picket.  I would not, however, demand that the government force the company to stop its giving.

2. Islamic banks, who do not charge interest because it violates the Koran, should immediately start charging their customers interest, because the bank may employ a capitalist.

Likewise, as noted in the article, some Jewish companies guide themselves by the Torah, or the first five books of the English bible.  Are we to throw out all instruction from the Torah, including such offensive commandments as "Thou Shall Not Kill" simply because the instruction comes from a faith with which I do not agree?

3. All companies should force their employees to work longer hours, rather than give them evenings or Sundays off.  Just who is the company, anyway, to decide for me that I should spend time with my family?

In this age of family/free-time deity, it's hard to imagine an employee wanting to work longer hours.  But what if someone really needs the money?  Should we force Hobby Lobby, Chik-Fil-A, and others to open on Sundays so that those who desire money more than family or church time can be satisfied?

4. We should immediately regulate the decor of each business.  After all, you never know if a waitress at a Indian restaurant may be Christian and object to the images of Buddha on the walls.

I know, a waitress at an Indian restaurant can always quit and work somewhere else, but wait; isn't this the alternative that is routinely shot down in the recent abortificant cases?

5. All businesses that promote hedonistic pleasure should immediately be shuttered, as their belief in pursuing pleasure may be counter to an employee's belief in chastity or self-control.

What if the only job a young Christian can find or is qualified for is washing dishes at a gentleman's club?  What if a single Jewish mother has to support her children by waiting tables at a BBQ restaurant?  Should those companies be forced to alter their actions because an employee doesn't believe in them?

6. No company, at any time, should provide any type of charitable assistance to an employee.  If I believe in self-reliance, it may deeply offend me that you dare offer me help.

No need to elaborate more than I did in the other points above.

My point is this.  Everyone cannot have everything.  And while some issues, such as abortion (and let's limit the discussion to abortion, OK?  The Court did absolutely nothing to prevent women from obtaining birth-control, regardless of what some want you to believe) is a hot-button issue, the fact remains that no one can have everything they want for free.  I want a Lamborghini.  I cannot expect my employer or the government or anyone else to pay for it (though if someone wants to buy me one, that would be OK).  Moreover, ideas such as religious freedom are expressly written into our constitution, while more recent "rights", such as abortion, were implied into it centuries later, so we cannot just abandon religious freedom for political correctness or convenience.

If you shout "How dare they?" in this case, think about what you will shout next time when the same logic is employed against your ideals.

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