Comments on: Free Exercise to Discriminate?

By: Lani

Lani — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 20:15:09 +0000

Amen, let’s put an end to discrimination of any sort!

By: ECS

ECS — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:29:03 +0000

Right, but as I'm sure you're aware, one's religious affiliation and practices have been used to defend against prosecution under criminal statutes as well. See Smith.

By: Al

Al — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:21:05 +0000

Violation of the civil rights law is not typically a crime. (A violation of law, yes, but not of a criminal code; the civil rights act is not a criminal statute).

By: ECS

ECS — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 01:05:41 +0000

Ryan, I can’t tell if you’re serious or not with this comment, but “the Holy Ghost told me to do it” is not a valid legal defense to a crime. The last question you ask is more interesting, and therein lies the conundrum. The courts need to find a way to allow religious organizations to follow their spiritual conscience to engage in otherwise illegal discriminatory behavior in church administration, while still upholding the civil rights laws. Maintaining this balance can be difficult. Does the Deseret Gym employee need a temple recommend to keep his job? Apparently, yes.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:50:17 +0000

Let’s say that the courts rule that the church is being discriminatory. Then what? In theory our direction is from God. Very few other churches, from what I understand, make the claim to callings based upon revelation. How can the opposition prove that every calling subsequent to the ruling is based on discrimination by church leadership and not in direct response to divine revelation. Technically the defendant would have to be God.. or perhaps the Holy Ghost.

Or would the court require bishops and other leaders to ignore our “God” and place women in priesthood callings?

By: Ivan Wolfe

Ivan Wolfe — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:40:27 +0000

M* syndrome hits -

comments are slightly out of order. before posting this, #8 was meant to be follow ECS’s #13….