Arkansas Senate passes religion bill, similar to Indiana’s, seen as homophobic

[LiberalElite]

Source: NY Daily News

The Arkansas Senate overwhelmingly approved on Friday a Republican-backed bill whose authors say is intended to protect religious freedoms but critics contend could allow businesses to refuse service to gay people.

The Republican governor of Indiana signed into law a similar "religious freedom" bill on Thursday, prompting protests from human rights groups and criticism from some business leaders.

The bill advancing in the Republican-led Arkansas legislature says "governments should not substantially burden the free exercise of religion without compelling justification."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/arkansas-senate-passes-religion-bill-targeting-gays-article-1.2165465

[PumpkinAle]

1. America is slowly becoming a faux-theocracy.

run by hypocritical right wing thugs.

[RKP5637]

4. It is, and I think a majority of Americans still don't get WTF is going on. n/t

[Fred Sanders]

5. On the bright side the media has created a nation of experts on plane crashes and kitty gifs.

[RKP5637]

9. Yeah, MSM never lets us down. Consistent blabber. n/t

[treestar]

12. Why must people exaggerate on DU like this?

Someone will take it to court and it will be found unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.

[PumpkinAle]

13. 20 states now have these bigoted laws

20 states! That is not an exaggeration.

Indiana is actually soon to be just one of 20 states with a version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Forty percent of U.S. states have something similar to Indiana, as does the federal government.

A federal RFRA signed by President Clinton in 1993 shares language with Indiana and other states' bills, prohibiting the government from "substantially burdening" individuals' exercise of religion unless it is for a "compelling government interest" and is doing so in the least restrictive means.

[Indiana is the battle over religious freedom that Arizona never was]

The fact that legislation like this is so widespread probably gave Pence some confidence in signing the bill, despite the controversy in Arizona last year over its bill that was ultimately scrapped, and in other states, like Georgia, which are considering similar measures this year (the NCSL found 13 additional states are considering their own RFRA legislation).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/27/19-states-that-have-religious-freedom-laws-like-indianas-that-no-one-is-boycotting/

[erronis]

18. ALEC legislation. This is not a state independent bill.

It is part of an ALEC directive.

Apparently the GOP governors and legislators can no longer think for themselves or have independent viewpoints. Reminds me of some religions and some political systems that require absolute fealty.

[treestar]

22. But they are unconstitutional

The number of them does not change that. The nation is not becoming a faux theocracy because of them. That is the exaggeration. Why does du have to panic about everything? It's always the end of the world.

[William769]

17. Oy vey.

[workinclasszero]

27. I think the reich wing sharia nazis are using this as a blueprint

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid%27s_Tale

[RKP5637]

2. More religious hatred to be codified into law! n/t

[Fred Sanders]

3. Arkansas will have the same problem...."religious beliefs" are so vaguely defined as to be meaningless.

And the refusal to include exemptions for minorities of any kind gives the real and unconstitutional purpose clear away.

[RKP5637]

7. Why do so many religious stand idly by and let this nonsense go on in their name. Is this

really what they all want, "In Hatred we Trust!"

[LiberalElite]

11. Well, there is this group:

http://www.faithfulamerica.org/campaigns/

[RKP5637]

16. Yes, I've seen them, they are great from what I've seen. n/t

[LiberalElite]

19. Just received this from Faithful America:

Dear Faithful America member,

Right-wing activists in Georgia are accusing state representatives of betraying Christians "on the anniversary of Judas betraying our Lord" if they don't immediately pass a bill legalizing discrimination.

At stake is a "religious freedom" bill even more extreme than the one just signed into law in Indiana. LGBT people could be denied jobs, housing, and medical care -- and some experts warn the bill could provide a legal defense for domestic violence and child abuse.

The religious right in Georgia is not only claiming to speak for all Christians, they are comparing those who oppose the bill to the people who crucified our Lord.

If we're going to stop this horrible law before it emerges from committee, we need to show that Christians across America are appalled.

Tell Georgia state house and governor: Discrimination is unchristian. Stop the "religious freedom" bill.

Thanks!

-- Michael

For more information:

"Georgia Helps Wife Beaters," The Daily Beast, March 13, 2015

"'Religious liberty' effort is only mostly dead. Keep your eye on HB 59," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 27, 2015

[RKP5637]

20. That is interesting, thanks! n/t

[Botany]

6. "intended to protect religious freedoms"

Christians who don't follow the teachings of Christ

[RKP5637]

8. SOS!!!!!!!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=https://liveraf.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/kkk-member-running-for-sheriff-hosts-cross-burning/&h=424&w=600&tbnid=S82zVAwGyjo_pM:&zoom=1&docid=bSs_0J3KbWijWM&ei=ExsYVbX-D5fdsASH_IHABQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CDUQMygDMAM

[old guy]

10. The country stumbles blindly into a theocratic quagmire. Sigh.....

[Trillo]

14. Both Arkansas and Indiana have common text in their state constitutions.

"... almighty god ..."

Neither state constitution is about freedom of religion. "Almighty god" favors monotheism. What about polytheism?

It seems these "freedom of religion" bills are oxymorons. What about atheists?

[LiberalElite]

15. It's freedom for THEIR religion, silly -

monotheistic monoreligion (if that's word. If it isn't it is now.)

[RKP5637]

21. People are continuing to leave religion, I am one, so are many! 7.5 million now.

Who can blame them, who really wants all of that hatred in their life.

7.5 million people left religion since 2012: Three graphs from latest General Social Survey

http://tobingrant.religionnews.com/2015/03/12/7-5-million-people-left-religion-since-2012-three-graphs-latest-general-social-survey/

A new survey shows that the Great Decline of religion in America continues. Since 2012, the U.S. has about 7.5 million Americans who are no longer active in religion.

Last week, the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) was released. The GSS is the gold standard for sociological surveys. Funded by the National Science Foundation this multi-million dollar study gives us the most accurate data on American society — including religion.

[smirkymonkey]

24. Good news!

[RKP5637]

25. Yes, I think so. IMO it's one of the most devastating forces on earth, blind beliefs filled with

hatred often from birth, of absolute garbage, beliefs in fables crafted to keep the masses in line with threats of hell and damnation if one doesn't follow their garbage.

[maindawg]

23. ALEC will do anything to further the divide

They created some 35 years ago. That they use flush limpballs to nurture every day nonstop. I am sickened by the speading disease they have created. I have lost many friends to the disease. People who I used to count as friends people whom I respected. Smart people , who should know better. People who studied history, lived through the civil rights and vietnam war. People who watched Ritchard Nixon disrespect our country, Watched W destroy our country. Who like me ,lost tens of thousands due to the malfeasance of W Bush. Blinded by hatred. I even know staunch progressive gay people who buy alot of the utter horse shit they shovel every day into our national conversation.
Its flabbergasting.
Divide and smear, cloud the issue so much that the simple truths cannot be easily discerned. The power of propaganda has no boundries. No limits. They have no conscience. Like snake oil salesmen from days gone by but with a soapbox that can reach millions of obviously ignorant electorates.
The election of President Obama has stirred up these hate filled diseased souls to a frenzy. I am very sorry for the condition of our world due to the evil of man.

[RKP5637]

26. Extremely well said!!! Here is a summary of ALEC for any reading this that might not know!

http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3F

[davidpdx]

30. As I said below I think it is an ALEC type organization that is doing this

Wasn't the original ALEC organization disbanded and then it reformed in some other way? I mean it doesn't matter how I guess, it's all slight of hand crap. The thing is they don't even bother to cover their tracks. It's just so obvious who and what they are doing that one would have to be blind to miss it.

As long as they have the money, they can continue to pull this shit legitimately. That's what sucks.

[CANDO]

28. Horrible conflation....

Running a business is an exercise of your religion? Fucking ridiculous.

[davidpdx]

29. I have to wonder if this is some kind of ALEC thing

Where the legislatures have been "shopped" to find ones that will pass that kind of a law. It failed the other day in Montana on a 50-50 tie vote.

[christx30]

31. Yeah. It's a fun and awesome law.

Until a little old Christian or Catholic lady gets spurned by a Muslim cab driver because she has a bottle of wine and left on the side of the road. Then that's "not what it was intended for."