Protection of religious views and behaviours

[Martinus]

A simple question really - should a view or behaviour be given greater protection under law if it is rooted in religion - as opposed to other deeply seated beliefs.

Because it does, constantly, in our society, and to me any historical justification for it has long evaporated. With the exception of certain insular communities, people in the West no longer identify or segregate solely or mainly by their creed. And then, with a growing number of non-religious people, it leads to glaring unequality under law.

[garbon]

This sounds it will be a boring thread, so I will post in it.

[The Brain]

Short answer: no.

[Eddie Teach]

Longer answer: Yes.

[The Brain]

Even longer answer: religious people are more stupider than regular folks and why reinforce failure? Rhetorical.

[Martinus]

Short answer: no.

But you agree that it does? Like, right now there is a case pending before SCOTUS where a fashion store is sued for refusing to hire a Muslim women who could not comply with the store's dress code. She is expected to win - if she simply believed deeply that women should wear headscarfs for aesthetic or health reasons, this would not even make it to the first instance court.

[The Brain]

Short answer: no.

But you agree that it does? Like, right now there is a case pending before SCOTUS where a fashion store is sued for refusing to hire a Muslim women who could not comply with the store's dress code. She is expected to win - if she simply believed deeply that women should wear headscarfs for aesthetic or health reasons, this would not even make it to the first instance court.

Wait wait wait. You're asking me a law question, Mr. Lawyer?

[Sheilbh]

Yes. If I had to provide a limit I'd say that we should provide for reasonable accommodation of sincerely held religious views.

[Neil]

I feel like the persecution of Martinus is probably a good idea, so we should cut whatever corners are required to make it happen.

Mind you, the law is poisoned by the existance of lawyers, so it really doesn't matter.

[Martinus]

Yes. If I had to provide a limit I'd say that we should provide for reasonable accommodation of sincerely held religious views.

What about other sincerely held views? I just don't get why religious people should get this special treatment? Unless this is because we assume they are mentally retarded so we give them wider berth - but then we should also treat them like mentally handicapped in other things.

[Barrister]

A simple question really - should a view or behaviour be given greater protection under law if it is rooted in religion - as opposed to other deeply seated beliefs.

Because it does, constantly, in our society, and to me any historical justification for it has long evaporated. With the exception of certain insular communities, people in the West no longer identify or segregate solely or mainly by their creed. And then, with a growing number of non-religious people, it leads to glaring unequality under law.

I mainly identify myself as a Christian.

[Sheilbh]

I don't really have an issue with that, which I believe is the position in UK employment law.

I can't think of when it would come up very often outside of a religious context because very few other views can be interpreted as requiring certain actions. But I see no problem with requiring reasonable accommodation be made for, for example, vegetarians.

[Ancient Demon]

No special accommodations should be given.

[dps]

Freedom of religion is a basic human right, so it's not a question of making special accommodations, it's a question of respecting people's rights or not. 

Keep in mind that freedom of religion includes the freedom to be a non-believer.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Yes. If I had to provide a limit I'd say that we should provide for reasonable accommodation of sincerely held religious views.

seems to me you can use this to enable human sacrifice, assuming the sacrifice has it as a sincerely held religious view.

Anyways, given the explosion of mental defects identified in the last few decades it's about time someone identifies religious belief as a mental defect. The only way to make sure everyone is considered insane and in need of medication. and the only way to boost pharma-stock in a big way.