RE: You cannot say, I will not serve you at the counter because you are gay. Whereas, a priest cannot be forced to perform a wedding just because it is legal.
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Well, THAT should be the intent for BOTH Priest and devout lay Catholic.
Let’s say a priest opens a school near his parish, I don’t think the RFRA will allow him to deny a gay kid enrollment just because he’s gay.
Similarly, if a gay priest is protected from officiating in a gay wedding, the law SHOULD protect the devout Catholic from participating and servicing the gay wedding.
As I see it, RFRA is or should be used to differentiate between WHO A PERSON IS and HIS BEHAVIOR, or WHAT HE DOES.
RFRA SHOULD protect religious people who object to what a person DOES, not who a person IS.
As for me, I think a business or individual should have the right to choose not to interact with somebody, for any reason, and not be required to state a reason.
Yes. And it only protects them in a civil case.
So, if you are denying someone a service, like the priest or the store owner the law will give you a defense in a civil case.
You still have to take it to trial and put it before a jury of your peers. My guess, if you are a priest, it never gets to a civil trial. If its because you don’t want them in your shop...I am not so sure a jury is going to go with you.
And then you are liable to damages and punitive measures.
So, I think it would have to be a pretty significant case for you to take to trial.