Posted on 06/29/2016 1:50:27 PM PDT by marshmallow
The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a case challenging a Washington state law that forces a family-owned pharmacy to dispense emergency contraceptives is an “ominous sign” for those who value religious freedom, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said.
“If this is a sign of how religious liberty claims will be treated in the years ahead, those who value religious freedom have cause for great concern,” Alito said Tuesday in a critical dissent.
Alito was joined in his dissent by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Clarence Thomas, falling one justice short of the four needed for the court to accept a case.
The case involves the Storman family, owners of Ralph’s Thriftway, a small, family-run grocery store and pharmacy in Olympia, Wash. In 2007, after Washington state passed a law that requires all pharmacies to dispense “all lawfully prescribed drugs or devices” in a timely manner to all customers, the Stormans found themselves in the cultural crosshairs.
Because of their Christian belief that life begins at conception, the Stormans objected to dispensing drugs such as Plan B that they believe aid in the destruction of human life.
Under the state law, denying Plan B could result in the Stormans losing their pharmacy license.
The Stormans then entered a long legal battle. In February 2012, a federal court struck down the law as unconstitutional. The court found “abundant evidence” that the law was designed to force religious pharmacists and pharmacy owners to violate their faith.
(Excerpt) Read more at stream.org ...
Say it again, Sam.
Getting worse.
Yep. Getting worse. An increasingly secular America doesn’t care much about Christian freedom anymore. So long as the welfare state keeps handing out the goodies.
This is going to force a re-understanding of Christian faith as the “Caesars” become less and less inclined to help out (Donald Trump maybe being an exception, but even he won’t stick around forever). There will be things that Christians just plain won’t do, because otherwise they would be ordered to do it evilly.
But oddly enough by worldly principles, a people finally persuaded by circumstance to lean heavily on Jesus may find itself leaping back to spiritual life after it does. And it will know the difference between conveniences taken for granted and the true grace of the Lord.
It's more than just a Christian belief, it could be easily proven with DNA testing.
Even though it is little more than undifferentiated tissue, we still grant it an honor above that of, say, a cancerous lump even though that also may have a distinctive DNA profile.
This is because we honor DESIGN. Science couldn’t tell us anything without an inference of design.
‘Justice’ Kennedy’s swing vote is amazingly, easily swinging against our Constitution. I would be greatly relieved to see the USSC being reformed by Donald Trump, in a more Conservative/Constitutional direction. Does anyone doubt that another Clinton Admin would be the death knell for our once great country?
**“If this is a sign of how religious liberty claims will be treated in the years ahead, those who value religious freedom have cause for great concern,” Alito said Tuesday in a critical dissent. **
We are concerned, even now.
It's hard to pray that way. But it's real.
Or, grace that accompanies persecutions, to get past them.
“You can’t run a pharmacy here” is a looooooooong way from getting crucified or beheaded. Sometimes God must consider us to be whiners when we could be praising Him for arranging alternative ways to get around problems. A land where you can put Jesus on neon signs is not a stable situation, at best, if that Jesus means anything good.
But speaking of which, while it is possible, we ought to be using the “neon signs.”
Getting all bent when a city hall won’t put a creche up without a Santa Claus is perhaps, a little besides the point if you can put that same creche up on a billboard. OK, it’ll require some more spending, but up it will go and get even more attention.
God got pretty irked at the Israelites who started whining at the slightest challenge. “You idiot Moses! We can’t drink this water! Damn you! We oughtta be in Egypt!” When all it would have taken was “Dear Lord, You have delivered us thus far, and believe You will continue to do so. Please provide us with the water we need.”
This kind of provision has been seen in all segments of Christendom when it has been sincerely prayed for and believed in, with an attitude of leaning on the Lord and proclaiming His goodness.
Laws against murder violate the religious rights of Muslims, because they punish them for following their “prophet’s” orders to kill Infidels who will not submit or convert. “Free exercise thereof...”
And this is all academic without power to bring anything to pass.
We’re going to have to learn the hard way to lean on Jesus again.
Can the pharmacies or businesses simply not stock the objectionable products?
“Sorry, we do not have that item and do not stock it.”
I guess it’s sacred, it’s not like not carrying aspirin.
Article I Section 11 — RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Absolute freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment, belief and worship, shall be guaranteed to every individual, and no one shall be molested or disturbed in person or property on account of religion; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the state. No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or the support of any religious establishment:
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That this article shall not be so construed as to forbid the employment by the state of a chaplain for such of the state custodial, correctional, and mental institutions, or by a county’s or public hospital district’s hospital, health care facility, or hospice, as in the discretion of the legislature may seem justified. No religious qualification shall be required for any public office or employment, nor shall any person be incompetent as a witness or juror, in consequence of his opinion on matters of religion, nor be questioned in any court of justice touching his religious belief to affect the weight of his testimony.
My husband, mother and I went to Africa, Kenya, some years ago.
In Africa, there are no fatherless children because men must purchase a wife. Africa is a paternal group of tribes, towns and countries. Men are the head of their family and children learn what it is to be men, husbands and fathers from their always-present father.
Somewhere along the line African descendants HERE lost that heritage of paternity.
I always wonder about librarians and book store workers. They have to check up pro-abortion books or sell them. I wonder about workers in stores selling condoms. I don’t think anyone is immune. People who work for companies that support liberal ideals. 401k that has liberal companies involved. It can be that everyone is sinning just by working.
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