Georgia Senate to take up religious freedom cause (Decatur, Tyrone: insurance, wedding)

[Airforceguy]

I wish these rednecks would give up this stupid bill....

A one-page bill introduced in the Georgia Senate Tuesday would adopt the language in the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act Congress passed in 1993 as Georgia law.

The legislature passed a broader religious freedom measure last year, but Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed it following a storm of opposition from civil rights groups and business organizations. Supporters of this year's bill, sponsored by Sen. Marty Harbin, R-Tyrone, are hoping that simply adopting the federal law regarding "government burdens on the free exercise of region" will be a sufficiently narrow approach to get the bill through the General Assembly and back to the governor's desk.

However, there's no sign the opposition to religious freedom legislation in any form in Georgia is any less than last year. In fact, a coalition of Georgia businesses worried about a convention and tourism boycott of the state if lawmakers adopt a religious freedom bill is growing.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/n...dom-cause.html

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

I wish these rednecks would give up this stupid bill....

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/n...dom-cause.html

No kidding. But, if I recall correctly, 40 some odd states have adopted some sort of religious freedom legislation. The rednecks rule the world...

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

No kidding. But, if I recall correctly, 40 some odd states have adopted some sort of religious freedom legislation. The rednecks rule the world...

True, but the only good thing this time around is that this bill doesn't have support of the senate leadership and Speaker Ralston has vowed that even if the bill passed the senate, it wouldn't be taken up in the house.

[Iconographer]

I say pass it. And put gay sex back where it belongs...in the woods, under the moonlight, in the back of a pickup after a day of moonshine and deer-killing.
If anything, passing it will prevent a certain group of legislators from dealing with their own latent feelings and flying into a homosexual panic every time the subject is broached.

[arjay57]

There are people in this state who believe the Bible gives them the right to refuse to sell things to gay folks and they don't want to be sent to prison for it. They also don't want to get rooked into insurance policies that cover birth control pills. Not to mention all the preachers who are worried about being forced to officiate at the wedding of Adam and Steve.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by arjay57

There are people in this state who believe the Bible gives them the right to refuse to sell things to gay folks and they don't want to be sent to prison for it. They also don't want to get rooked into insurance policies that cover birth control pills. Not to mention all the preachers who are worried about being forced to officiate at the wedding of Adam and Steve.

Is this really an issue? And who the hell wants to be married by someone that is hostile to their union in the first place?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Is this really an issue? And who the hell wants to be married by someone that is hostile to their union in the first place?

True, but they are mighty worried about it.

What if two guys go down to the local Baptist church and tell the preacher, "You marry us or it's prison for you, buddy."

[primaltech]

How about a secular government that treats everyone fairly and equally with complete neutrality, in a pluralistic society of different beliefs and non beliefs, with everyone free to believe or not believe as they choose, and free to voluntarily assemble in churches if they so choose. Actual freedom- that would be my idea of religious freedom. Take God off the GA state flag, and off of all the US currency, and out of the Pledge of Allegiance, off the lawns of various government buildings, and out of the laws and legal code. Etc etc. And churches and religions of any stripe should have to pay their taxes just like everyone else, instead of getting special privilege IRS exemption.

Quit imposing your beliefs on other people that do not share them. Period. You may not believe in contraception because of your own religion, but you need to still provide it for your employees, who have their own beliefs. You may not believe that gay marriage is valid by God, but if you're a wedding photographer, that's your professional life and you need to keep it completely separated from your personal views.

Same goes for any kind of privately owned business open to the public, or anything even remotely related to government. Keep your personal beliefs totally out of it. No discrimination at any level, should be allowed. We can have a healthy marketplace of different ideas and viewpoints, without forcing it on anyone, or impeding on anyone's right to just simply go about living their lives, in whatever the way that suits them.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by arjay57

There are people in this state who believe the Bible gives them the right to refuse to sell things to gay folks and they don't want to be sent to prison for it. They also don't want to get rooked into insurance policies that cover birth control pills. Not to mention all the preachers who are worried about being forced to officiate at the wedding of Adam and Steve.

Those same people call Obama the n word 20x per day, they drink alcohol, had sex b4 marriage, watch porn, cheat on their taxes, etc

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by arjay57

True, but they are mighty worried about it.

What if two guys go down to the local Baptist church and tell the preacher, "You marry us or it's prison for you, buddy."

I'll file that under "I" for Incredibly Ludicrous Scenarios.