[Rhodes22-list] Reply to non sailing topics by Bob K, Mike W, L. Sailor, ...

[DCLewis1 at aol.com]

Ed,
 
If I could respond to your post: “Laws should not be used to compel  
acceptance of a belief contrary to ones religion. “
 
The issue is not to compel acceptance of belief, the issue is to compel (or  
preclude) specific actions whose consequences are regarded by the larger  
population as unacceptable.  In that regard laws and religious  beliefs are 
entirely different things.  Laws are focused on actions  and interactions, religious 
beliefs are beliefs.  You can believe  anything you want, just don't act on 
it.  Examples:
- There are  instances where children of parents of some Christian sects, I 
think it’s the  Christian Scientists, were removed from their parents custody 
by a  court because their lives are at risk and the parents decided, for  
religious reasons, to refuse service.  The parents "believed", the  courts forbade 
the action (refusal of service), the children's lives were  saved.
- I understand the Rastfuteens (sp?), a religious sect principally out  of 
Jamaica, have really worked marijuana into their religious ceremonies.   That 
doesn’t mean the use of marijuana is allowed in the US in the name of  religious 
freedom, instead the law forbids it on other grounds.  The  Rasfuteens 
believe, the courts forbid it, it doesn't happen. (Note, this example  should not be 
construed to mean I am for or against the use of marijuana, it’s  simply an 
example to show that the law does not allow unfettered use of any  behavior 
just because "you really believe in it".)
- Finally the most egregious example of all: Each of the 19 terrorists that  
participated in 9/11 “believed” they were doing what their religion  
required.  You would claim the law should not stop them?  That to stop  them would be 
Stalinist?  I don’t think so, nor do I really think you think  so.
 
So laws and religion are 2 different things, and law commonly trumps  
religion and religion based belief.
 
Think of it this way: who’s going to punish you?  With laws you are  punished 
in the here-and-now.  With religion there is a promise that you  will be 
punished in the hereafter.  Each punishment system operates  independently.
   
JMO
 
Dave