LDS Church's chief lawyer says not all religious freedoms should be defended the same

[TexasTowelie]

PROVO — The top lawyer for the LDS Church proposed Thursday that people of faith should prioritize the defense of an innermost core of religious freedoms.

They also have to be willing to compromise on freedoms outside that core, said Elder Lance B. Wickman, general counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an emeritus General Authority Seventy.

"Please understand that in labeling some freedoms part of the 'core' of religious liberty, I am not suggesting that freedoms outside that core are unimportant or not worth defending," Elder Wickman said.

"What I am suggesting is that if we want to preserve religious freedom and live in peace in a society that is increasingly intolerant of faith, then we will have to be very clear about what matters most and make wise compromises in areas that matter less. Because if we don’t, we risk losing essential rights that we simply cannot live without."

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865657637/Elder-Wickman-Matt-Holland-address-religious-freedom-in-secular-age-at-BYU.html

[DetlefK]

1. Sounds good at first glance, but it would just legalize hypocritical religious cherry-picking.

If a believer has the power to choose what commandments to live and what commandments to ignore, who is more powerful? God or the believer?

Hating gays? Core value.
Being nice to each other? Eh, we can compromise on that.

[Act_of_Reparation]

3. If LDS history is any indication, it is probably more like...

"Hating gays? We can compromise on that. Tax-exemption? Core value."

[Brettongarcia]

4. : )

[edhopper]

2. No it is a nation becoming intolerant

Last edited Sun Jul 10, 2016, 08:37 PM - Edit history (1)

of bigoted religious assholes.

[justhanginon]

5. Dare I say, "amen" to that!

[Lordquinton]

6. "in a society that is increasingly intolerant of faith,"

That's not at all what's happening, but great job on controlling the narrative.