Should those Christians that want an exemption

[multigraincracker]

be required to present receipts showing they tithed?

[Walleye]

1. If they have ever taken a shot of any kind they should not get any kind of religious exemption. Peri

[multigraincracker]

2. I would ask how they treated

the least among us.

[Walleye]

3. ☝️What would they call Jesus if he were alive today?

[SoCalDavidS]

4. Pinko Liberal Socialist Commie nt

[LastDemocratInSC]

17. Don't forget "rabble rousing community organizer"

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Fair point

I'm a Unitarian Universalist (not a trinitarian so can't call myself a christian) and I tithe.

Not happening with UU's (exemptions) because reason over rules magic every time.

[multigraincracker]

8. Me too.

I remember back in the 60s, UUs were given automatic exemption from the military draft.
I'm also an Atheist. Seems to be the only "religious" org that has, not only, member that are Atheist, but also Board members and Church Presidents that are Atheist too.

[JustAnotherGen]

14. Yes

Because we believe in Potluck suppers and the league of women voters!

2004 was the first time I could say in a 'church' - I think JC was a human being and a rabbi and everything else is just bullshit. He's not any better than Moses.

[multigraincracker]

18. I remember asking a new UU Minister what she thought

happened when you die. She said "that is it, you are dead and no more".
My theory is you get your hard drive wiped clean. You'll need to be programed for this new language and all of the old files will be unreadable.

I also met the love of my life there.

[Ocelot II]

6. Why are there religious exemptions for any behavior that can be harmful to others?

If your "sincerely held religious beliefs" include human sacrifice, you still can't do it. The LDS Church isn't allowed to practice polygamy any more. These practices are not allowed, no matter how strongly you might believe in them, because they are considered to be harmful to society as a whole. Exempting some people from vaccination because they claim their religion forbids it is dangerous for the rest of us, unless as part of the deal they agree to completely isolate themselves from all unvaccinated people - which they won't do, of course. And anyhow, representatives of most of the major religions have stated that they will not authorize religious exemptions and that vaccination is a good thing, consistent with their beliefs. The Pope, the Dalai Lama and the Archbishop of Canterbury have been vaccinated in public. So where are all these "religious" excuses coming from?

[fescuerescue]

10. Bill of rights crap mostly

Something about the 1st amendment and the Supreme Court.

[Ocelot II]

11. Freedom of religion doesn't include the right to harm others.

The First Amendment doesn’t allow polygamy or human sacrifice, regardless how sincerely held those beliefs may be.

[fescuerescue]

12. tell that to the Supreme Court

wasn't my call.

[Ocelot II]

15. Somebody already did, in Reynolds v. United States, way back in 1879,

Last edited Wed Oct 20, 2021, 03:27 PM - Edit history (1)

in which the Supreme Court held that the federal anti-bigamy statute did not violate the First Amendment’s free exercise clause, even though polygamy was a religious practice of the LDS at that time. Also, for example: In Braunfeld v. Brown (1961), the Court held that a state law that allowed only certain types of stores to remain open on Sundays did not violate the First Amendment by imposing an undue economic burden on members of the Orthodox Jewish community, whose faith requires them to close their businesses from nightfall Friday to nightfall Saturday. In Employment Division v. Smith (1990), the court held that a state could deny unemployment benefits to a person who was fired for smoking peyote as part of a religious ceremony. In other words, the Supreme Court has held in a number of cases that the free exercise clause does not grant an absolute right to do anything you want just because it's part of your religious practice or belief.

[fescuerescue]

16. Yea I don't think anyone is claiming it's carte blanc

But religion is still given a wide berth in this country and I suspect for sometime to come.

The folks at Hobby Lobby can certainly attest.

[lark]

7. No, there is zero reason for a religious exemption - just more right wing lies.

[Happy Hoosier]

9. I'd be satisfied if...

... they can demonstrate they've refused other vaccines based on religious exemptions.

[hlthe2b]

13. Quarantined for the duration in their house of worship. "Get thee to a nunnery!" (or monastery)

Except of course, the official word from the Vatican is NO EXEMPTIONS and get the damned vaccine (ok, my adamant paraphrase)