Jews paused Indiana's abortion ban -- by turning a religious freedom law against the evangelical right

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://forward.com/news/816427/religious-freedom-jews-mike-pence-indiana-abortion-law/

That reality stirred Cohen into action. She co-founded Hoosier Jews for Choice, a Jewish group that advocates for abortion access, which joined five anonymous women of multiple faiths in a lawsuit backed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Their argument relied on a religious freedom law — the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA — signed by former Indiana governor Mike Pence in 2015. It was one of many such state laws passed amid calls from some evangelical Christians to establish their right not to do business that violated their beliefs, such as baking a wedding cake for a gay wedding.

Hoosier Jews for Choice saw an opening for Jews to exercise their religious freedom under the same law, but for a purpose at odds with evangelical Christianity: to gain access to abortion. Earlier this month, Judge Christina Klineman of Marion County Superior Court agreed, permanently blocking enforcement of the state’s abortion ban for plaintiffs with sincere religious objections.

Hoosier Jews for Choice is celebrating the ruling as the biggest legal win to date in support of the argument that abortion bans violate Jews’ religious freedom. The group is hopeful that similar cases can build on the Indiana case’s success nationwide.

The ruling could still be reversed: Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has appealed the decision, and the case is headed to the Indiana Supreme Court, where all five justices are Republican appointees. Meanwhile, Klineman, elected to the bench in 2014 after winning a Democratic primary, has faced calls for her impeachment over her decision, in what U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) called “one of the most ridiculous rulings I’ve seen in a long time.”

[NHvet]

1. Another of the hypocrisies of the religious right.

The religious right bleats on about their "rights" not recognizing other faiths have the same rights. Contrary to their belief, the world doesn't revolve around them. One of those be careful for what you wish for, you may get it.

[Ilsa]

2. Kick & Rec. nt

[JoseBalow]

3. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

[angrychair]

4. So, here is the thing

I find the law like the RFRA to be inherently discriminatory because it creates this special class of people that get immunity from laws and regulations based on their religion but what about people that don't believe in religion or ascribe to a specific religion? We have no access to this immunization and therefore no equal protection under the law.
Isn't that the whole point of this administration's attack on DEI? Why they are suing Coke right now?
If hundreds of years of racism for being Black shouldn't get you special protections, being the most followed religion in the world, with immense implied benefits, should not get you special privileges either.
Religious freedom laws are inherently discriminatory towards non-religious people.

[flashman13]

5. So, for Senator Banks it's religious freedom for me (R-evangelical), but not for thee (Jew).

This from the people that are so interested in preventing antisemitism. They are such hypocritical freaks.

[ChicagoTeamster]

6. Their religious freedom is a freedom to use it against others, it's not for others to have their own religious freedom

As always, their Christianity is a political identity, not a spiritual religious faith.