Freedom of Religion

Two decisions in the news today show how incrementally the courts, legislatures and HRCs in Canada are eroding freedom of religion.

Hutterites who believe that voluntarily allowing their photos to be taken for a driver's license is against the 2nd commandment, lost on appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. The states desire to reduce identity theft trumps an individual's right to uphold (what he perceives to be) the law of God.

A marriage commissioner has lost his battle not to marry a homosexual couple. He too argued that it went against his moral and religious principles to marry the couple.

When Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus murder their family members in honour killings we can argue that "freedom of religion" cannot be used as a valid exculpatory reason to escape justice.

But when, for religious reasons, a person requests exemption from certain actions or duties, and the courts and the legislatures and the HRCs demand that religous freedom does not apply but that actions must be taken, then we see that Canada is not really the "True North, strong and free" we claim it to be.

~