Reply #3: People seem to be missing a subtle point here

[RC]

North Dakota measure: No 'burdens' on religious freedom

Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 1:16 pm | (1) Comments


BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Supports of a proposed North Dakota constitutional amendment say it would strengthen religious freedoms in the state.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger is reviewing the measure. It will need almost 26,000 petition signatures to get on the November general election ballot.

The proposed amendment says the government may not penalize anyone for refusing to do something because of their religious beliefs — unless the government has a "compelling interest'' in the matter.

For example, the amendment could protect a medical provider who didn't want to distribute birth control devices.

Several state legislators and the bishops of the Fargo and Bismarck Roman Catholic dioceses are members of the initiative's sponsoring committee.


http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/article_2b6683ae-4e49-11df-8ee7-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story

My response:
Comments:
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/article_2b6683ae-4e49-11df-8ee7-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=comments

fgores said on: April 22, 2010, 4:48 pm
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The First Amendment also means Freedom FROM religion, as well as Freedom OF religion.
Other people's religion may not have the problems your religion has with certain products. You want them to stay out of your religion? You stay our of theirs! Don't like the product? Don't buy it. It's that simple.
What we have here are a group of people trying to foster their religious beliefs on the rest of us, with the force of law.
If your religion causes you to have a problem buying/selling legal products as part of your job, then maybe you should not be working there in the first place. Ya think?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The right is working to take away our freedom to buy birth control. You can bet your last 50¢ they are trying this exact same thing in other red states also. If any state is dumb enough to do this and they get it to stick, that sets the precedent to expand this idiocy across the country.
The frog in the pan of slowly heating water comes to mind again.