Dear Editor:
I would like to respond to Mr. Horstmann's Op-Ed published April 7 trumpeting "Christianity is under attack", and then using the recent kerfuffle in Indiana as evidence.
No, Mr. Horstmann. Christianity may well be under attack, for example in the Middle East, but the nonsense in Indiana was not an attack on Christianity.
It was backlash to the Christian rights belief in their own moral superiority, and that the Declaration of Independence gives them license to run this country as their interpretation of the Bible sees fit.
Three observations.
For the "left" The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was originally enacted at the Federal level in an attempt to right some obvious wrongs where people's religious freedom was being trampled by "stupid" laws. The Federal statute was held to not apply to the states, so in reality each state needs their own RFRA. 31 now do, in some form or the other. Bottom line; RFRA laws can be just. Let us not "throw out the baby with the bathwater."
Second, about "Indiana." I believe the preponderance of the evidence indicates the Christian right carefully crafted Indiana's RFRA to allow discrimination, particularly against gays. To me, there is a profound difference between forcing someone to perform an act that profanes their religion, and allowing someone to discriminate against another in the name of their religion. (For example, a Jewish restaurant owner should not be forced to cater ham, but should a restaurant owner be allowed to deny sitting a couple at a table because they are, or he thinks they are gay?)
The latter picture greatly troubles me. David Webb, (a conservative pundit) believes the Indiana law as originally drafted did not allow discrimination. He may be right. But, Gov. Pence could not coherently defend his RFRA law, and frankly looked deceitful, (if not downright dishonest). The Heritage Foundation's website was trumpeting success in Indiana shortly before the backlash. Bottom line, Indiana deserved the firestorm, if not for deceit, then for stupidity in not expecting (and preparing for) the backlash.
Third, for the "Christian right." People are getting tired of having their liberties restricted because of laws written using your religion as justification. I believe Rachael Marsden said it well "Your rights stop where mine begin." A corollary may be: "My rights stop where yours begin." Bottom line, our Constitution honors and grants individual liberty, and frankly does not allow religious dogma.
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