Increasingly, a number of EU nations are taking a firm stand on what any thinking man can see is a clear line between religious freedom and bigotry. Only in fundamentalist nations like our own, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Uganda would anyone consider it legitimate or civilized to curtail human and civil rights in a supposedly free country and tamper with the democratic process based on the views of ancient civilizations that worshiped vengeful and violent gods who demanded animal sacrifice, genocide, slavery and female servitude.
Our own nation's inability to make such a distinction befuddles any hope one might have of ever seeing democracy, universal human rights and equality established in these United States for each and every American. And that is an appalling crime and betrayal of the Bill of Rights.
Most recently the Church of Sweden (representing about 90 percent of that nation's population) approved a recommendation that the Swedish Lutheran Church should conduct weddings in church for both heterosexual and same-sex couples. The marriage liturgy will be amended slightly to reflect this. The changes took effect on November 1.
Church leadership and the Swedish democratic government agreed that no individual cleric will be obliged to perform such a service, but every parish will be required to make provision for the liturgy, and to use visiting priests if necessary. This strikes as a very fair balance between the principle of individual rights, the universality of human rights and constitutional democratic law.
Nations can be free without the tyranny of religion while still respecting the religious views of individuals, but the religious views of any one individual or even a group of individuals must never be imposed on any other individual or group of individuals.
NEVER.
When that happens as is becoming increasingly the case in these United States, the rights of all individuals stand on very slippery ground.
Many EU nations and Canada clearly understand this.
Sadly, our President seems not to.
Free nations must challenge and limit any group that questions or challenges the universality of human rights, particularly the right of every person to live with dignity and in safety.
The Church of Latter Days Saints, Islam, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Roman Catholic Church would do well to learn this and our President would do well to remember it. If Obama does not stand against theocracy, our first black president may be our last Constitutional president of any color.
Interesting. This is exactly the same approach the Episcopal Bishop of Southern Ohio announced would take effect in his diocese starting next Easter. Naturally this is controversal even for episcopalians.
Posted by: Rex | Wednesday, 18 November 2009 at 05:11 PM