Friday, July 04, 2014

More on the Birth Control Mandate

Earlier, I noted that one of the disturbing issues of the Hobby Lobby case is that it puts the government is charge of deciding the sincerity and importance of religious beliefs. I had no idea Justice Sotomayor had already proven me correct.

Concerning an injunction granted to Wheaton College, the NY Time reports,

“Let me be absolutely clear,” [Sotomayor] wrote. “I do not doubt that Wheaton genuinely believes that signing the self-certification form is contrary to its religious beliefs. But thinking one’s religious beliefs are substantially burdened — no matter how sincere or genuine that belief may be — does not make it so.”

What are Justice Sotomayor’s qualifications to determine whether or not Wheaton’s beliefs are burdened or not?

She says she doesn’t doubt that Wheaton’s beliefs are genuine, but then doubts that their beliefs are substantially burdened. How can she doubt that?

By such a statement she is talking out of both sides of her mouth. She is doubting the sincerity of their belief by denying that it is burdened by a governmental requirement.

Once again, the American citizenry would be better served by keeping the courts, and the legislature and White House, out of these matters. No person’s religious beliefs should be subject to the whims of a court.

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