The Supreme Court's long game to weaponize religious freedom

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/texas-supreme-court-case-sets-dangerous-precedent-n1293525?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma


Last week, the Supreme Court signaled how protective it will continue to be of those who claim that their genuinely held religious beliefs require or prevent them or others from taking an action. And the answer is: very.

The fact that eight of the nine members of this Supreme Court sided with a religious objector is not surprising, although the fact that the religious objector is a death row inmate who murdered a convenience store clerk might be. But this case could have implications well beyond death row. Look for the court to conclude that anti-discrimination laws and health and safety laws must give way in the face of religious objections.

Following this decision, discrimination laws may apply to everyone — except those who claim their religious beliefs prevent them from providing goods or services to members of the LGBTQ community, for example. And if the pandemic gets worse again and a state decides to prevent groups of 15 people or more from gathering indoors, a government decision could apply to everyone except those who claim that the decision tramples on their right to worship.

The death row inmate in question for this case, John Henry Ramirez, murdered Pablo Castro in 2004 by stabbing him 29 times. For that crime, he will be put to death in Texas. Ramirez’s argument was not about whether he will be put to death; it was about how he will die. Ramirez argued that under a federal law called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act he has the right to have his spiritual adviser not only in the death chamber, but to have that adviser put his hands on Ramirez and to audibly pray.

*snip*

[czarjak]

1. Dominionism. They just wanna rule over you at all cost! What have you got to lose?