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[JRSchwartz]

What is up with all of the hand-wringing about Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act?

It is modeled after the federal government’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993.

Indiana's law is practically identical to other Religious Freedom Restoration Acts passed by 18 other states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

It sounds like all of the outrage is due to the media's biased and incompetent reporting, as well as the desire for profits from ratings fueled by scandalous headlines.

When Governor Pence signed the bill, he said:

"One need look no further than the recent litigation concerning the Affordable Care Act. A private business and our own University of Notre Dame had to file lawsuits challenging provisions that required them to offer insurance coverage in violation of their religious views. Last year the Supreme Court of the United States upheld religious liberty in the Hobby Lobby case based on the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but that act does not apply to individual states or local government action."

Notre Dame and Hobby Lobby did not want to be mandated by Obamacare to pay for abortions or abortifacients, which they oppose due to religious reasons. They, nor anyone else, should have to file suit in order to protect their own religious rights.

See: "19 States That Have ‘Religious Freedom’ Laws Like Indiana’s That No One is Boycotting", an article by the Washington Post.

[lovethiscity]

Life in America was friendlier and a little bit more simple, before the road opened on the internet super highway.
Talking points have bombarded us a Pentium speeds. No chance of thinking past the talking point for any logical substance happens. Before the next wave of talking points hits us. Emotional blasts of talking points hit rapidly most just twisted opinion with no truth to support them. Repeated so often and quickly somehow gives them truth.
For over 200 years the United States of America was the world leader in social and economic standings. Our form of Demcracy and it's ideals even the imperfections has attracted millions of immigrants from around the world. They saw past the imperfections, they found a promised land that allowed the pursuit of happiness.
Now for whatever reason, America is taking leaps backwards. People that came here to escape oppression from religious governments, to the land with a government that purposely has maintained a separation of church and state. They are finding a country that is legislating religious beliefs into civic law. The talk of moral decline has not happened here. No adult conversation has happened. Talking points have been blasted over and over implying government has failed in moral leadership. Anonymity behind screen names like "lovethiscity" allow for the spewing of bias, hateful, judgment of others, condemnation of others, protected racism. All very un-Christian behaviors, while standing on an internet pulpit shouting America was founded in Christian principles. We must legislate Cristian beliefs no matter how extreme into civic law.
At some point America needs to have an adult like conversation, not an emotional banter. On the direction we are to follow for the next two hundred years. Some questions need to be discussed and answered. Is it our laws causing a moral decline? Is there really a moral decline? Does any of the if any moral decline fall on the responsibility of the churches? We can talk about the results of moral legislation. We need only look to the most violent parts of the world. The places that oppression causing death and fleeing happens the most. These country's in all there wisdom formed governments of religious leadership. Country's without peace, unconditional love or a chance to pursue happiness. My question is which world will my granddaughter inherit from us.