I have always had a problem with “religious followers” or “people of faith” who live in this country and support the Bill of Rights, along with our Constitution, yet have a difficult time in separating the fact that this country was founded on the basic right of “freedom of religion” being equal to “freedom from religion.” If you expect to be free to practice your religion, then your neighbor should expect the same rights in non-believing!
The Constitution is very clear on this; if you want freedom, then you need to share it with other Americans who expect the same. The bottom line is: No religion supersedes, displaces, surpasses or otherwise discriminates against another, including the nonreligious or nonbelievers.
Discrimination is the significant dynamic here. And “civil rights” is the instrument by which we define discrimination in this country. Thus, choosing to treat people differently by gender, race or religious affiliation is considered discriminatory and illegal. The law does not discriminate on whether a “person is uncomfortable” or not with it.
As for the poll dealing with churches being more transparent or not, the explanation above should be proof enough for transparency. And the polls illustrate why people themselves can’t be trusted to do what is necessarily right for the general population.
Robert Hoff, Taylorsville