Religious freedom curtailed in Oregon - what's next?
So, the Oregon bakery that was sued by the government for discrimination because it refused to bake a wedding cake for a homosexual couple's nuptials, but selling them other pastries, has now closed, vowing to continue its fight.
The government has previously decreed that--religious mandates be damned--religious institutions must offer all their employees birth control. What next? Both Jewish and Muslim religious laws prohibit their adherents from eating pork; they also have strict guidelines on meat and food preparation known as kosher for Jews, halal for Muslims. Will butcher stores and restaurants owned by Jews and Muslims adhering to their religious laws be forced to also serve non religiously approved food to avoid discrimination?
According to Jewish law, no business is to be conducted on the Sabbath, which begins Friday night and extends through Saturday night. Will stores or other businesses owned by religious Jews and closed on the Sabbath be legally compelled to remain open?
Granted, these situations are not quite parallel to the Oregon case. However with government overreach regarding the Oregon bakery, in health care and in education and in other areas once considered private or local, don't be surprised if some easily offended non served individual sues.
But hopefully the owners of the Oregon bakery and others will decide they too have rights and will counter sue.
It is the American way!