[An.American.Expatriate]

But there are limits to how they can act on their beliefs. For example, a religion may believe that racial segregation is God’s way.

So if a Segregationist Church were to hold it's ceremonies in it's own building and members of another race show up and, through thier presence alone, disturb the otherwise peaceful congregation - the church has no recourse but accept?

I think not.

This is exactly, precisely, identically, the same thing as enforcing Jim Crow laws

Denying a group access to facilities / businesses that serve the general public (bars, restaraunts, buses etc ...) can not be justified as no persons personal beliefs / liberties are infinged upon by allowing blacks, hispanics, etc ... access. That has nothing at all to do with forcing a religious group to accept persons it deems uncapable of worship access to it's sanctums.

[Rashputin]

Reread the last paragraph. The Mosque should have had security of their own to enforce their rules and then asked the police to intervene only if there was a scent outside of the Mosque. The police have no role in enforcing private membership rules and/or beliefs.

Regards

[bonnieblue4me]

‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;’ Congress shall not, states may. DC is under the jurisdiction of Congress. The DC cops were prohibiting the free exercise of religion unconstitutionally!