Arizona's new anti-gay law.

[Ben Kenobi]

Actually I hope people use this to discriminate against all of the bigoted Christians.

"We want Barabbas!"

[Ben Kenobi]

Absolutely. So don't assume that because you have the right to believe in the supernatural nonsense of your choosing

The US constitution protects the free exercise of religion. So, yes, I can refrain from sacrificing to the emperor.

[Ben Kenobi]

paranoid rants about how conservative Christians are really the persecuted ones.

Given Hobby Lobby's case and the Christian Baker? It's not paranoid if it's actually already happening. There was a clip already of Muslims attacking a parish in France. It's happening, and just because you're too blind to acknowledge it doesn't stop it from happening worldwide.

[molly bloom]

The US constitution protects the free exercise of religion.

Only up to a point.

You may not legally ingest peyote, or sacrifice animals, even if your preferred supernatural mumbo jumbo should happen to include those activities.

Which some do.

[Ben Kenobi]

Only up to a point

So that justifies forcing people to participate in something they don't want to do? I don't see it. You're all too happy to inflict this on Christians as 'payback' for our sins of lacking insufficient devotion to the state.

You may not legally ingest peyote, or sacrifice animals, even if your preferred supernatural mumbo jumbo should happen to include those activities.

Yeah, and presumably it also means you can't engage in polygamy, or sharia, but we know you support these things which is why you left them out.

[molly bloom]

So that justifies forcing people to participate in something they don't want to do?

Such as obey the laws of a civil state ? Hard cheese. You don't like it, religionistas, then do what the Mayflower lot did- emigrate and establish your own tight-arsed theocracy.

You're all too happy to inflict this on Christians as 'payback' for our sins of lacking insufficient devotion to the state.

Aww, pity the poor suffering Christianistas in the U.S. . Why, it must be like North Korea or Somalia for them.

Yeah, and presumably it also means you can't engage in polygamy, or sharia, but we know you support these things

Yeah, still atheist, last time I checked, which was this morning. So not believing in god, allah, yahweh or baal or isis- see, not even the fun interesting gods.

but we know you support these things which is why you left them out.

Have you cracked under the strain imagining what a poor downtrodden martyr you are ?

Atheist means I don't support Islam or any other quaint supernatural beliefs, dimwit.

[MrFun]

What's the best thing Arizona can do, during the recession/economic recovery? Why, cut off opportunities to bring in more jobs, of course.

[100% Wolf]

Lose 1000 jobs or incur divine wrath for tolerating sodomites? Tough choice.

[Kidlicious]

Only up to a point.

You may not legally ingest peyote, or sacrifice animals, even if your preferred supernatural mumbo jumbo should happen to include those activities.



Which some do.

Not sure if it's just on tribal land but Native Americans are allowed to take peyote.

[molly bloom]

Not sure if it's just on tribal land but Native Americans are allowed to take peyote.

However, legal peyote use is restricted to the Native American Church. The distinction does not extend to other Native American groups that use peyote in religious ceremonies. As such, a number of religious peyote growers and users have been targeted and prosecuted by local law enforcement agencies. For example, the Peyote Foundation in Arizona was raided by local officials in 1998. Other Native American groups continue to strive for the legalization of peyote, but have not been successful thus far.

http://www.peyote.net/legal.html

More privileges for religionistas.


Why is it they want special rights, not just equal rights ?


Isn't it enough that kind secular souls such as myself tolerate their mumblings, gaudy parades, ugly buildings, eyesore 'art', overblown emotive outpourings and tax free status ?

[MrFun]

Some Arizona Republicans are now regretting their vote for this bigoted law.

[MrFun]

This back pedaling is pathetic.

[DinoDoc]

Oh well this is boring. Let's see if I can liven this up. MrFun, why would allowing Christian florists and bakers to decline to work for same-sex weddings be tantamount to Jim Crow? Sexual orientation is not race after all — and permitting what would most definitely be a very small number of observant Christians to exercise their right of conscience is vastly different from pervasive and state-sponsored racism. Your hysterical rantings on the subject notwithstanding.

[MrFun]

Any kind of segregation of a minority group sanctioned by the state is reminiscent, to varying degrees, of Jim Crow laws with Jim Crow laws obviously having been far more pervasive and systematic. Segregation does not have to be based on race.

As I understand it, under this law, not only can private employees or business owners in Arizona deny someone service if it's based on their religious belief, but that this would also allow public employees, such as police officers to deny services. No??

[MrFun]

Besides, this law is not really about "religious freedom." It's about hatred and bigotry when you peel away the layers of rhetoric.