Republicans and SCOTUS do NOT believe in religious freedom

[HomerJS]

Unless its the Christian religion. Republicans have bent over backwards for cases like Hobby Lobby, the baker who refused to make a wedding cake for gay couple on the grounds of religious freedom. Turns out they want freedom only for their religion.

Domineque Ray was schedule to be put to death for rape and murder. He requested his longtime spiritual advisor to be at his side. Having clergy present is allowed at the execution but the prison only provides a Christian chaplain. Ray took his case to the SCOTUS and by a vote of 5-4 ruled in favor of not allowing a clergy member of his chosen religion.

In her dissent Justice kagen write...

To justify such religious discrimination, the State must show that its policy is narrowly tailored to a compelling interest. I have no doubt that prison security is an interest of that kind. But the State has offered no evidence to show that its wholesale prohibition on outside spiritual advisers is necessary to achieve that goal. Why couldn’t Ray’s imam receive whatever training in execution protocol the Christian chaplain received? The State has no answer. Why wouldn’t it be sufficient for the imam to pledge, under penalty of contempt, that he will not interfere with the State’s ability to perform the execution? The State doesn’t say. The only evidence the State has offered is a conclusory affidavit stating that its policy “is the least restrictive means of furthering” its interest in safety and security. That is not enough to support a denominational preference.

Just remember the next time righties scream religious freedom, it's all bullshit.

https://www.nola.com/crime/2019/02/...neque-ray-for-1995-killing-of-selma-teen.html

 

[Moonbeam]

As a casual and legally uninformed person, I find the court decision to be terrifyingly wrong headed. I have no idea how sound or unsound that opinion is. All I know is that I am never wrong about anything.

 

[glenn1]

Should have been allowed. It’s not like this case involved some truly bizarre request, one merely designed as a stall tactic, or represents some unique risk.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Freedom of religion outrage in 5,4,3,2.....wait? Huh?

 

[pcgeek11]

He murdered two teenage boys and raped and murdered a 15 year old girl.

Fuck him.

" His execution comes 20 years after being put on death row, and while he was also serving time for the killings of two teenage boys who were slain the year before Tiffany Harville was fatally stabbed."

 

[Ajay]

In Alabama - what a shock

 

[ch33zw1z]

He murdered two teenage boys and raped and murdered a 15 year old girl.

Fuck him.

" His execution comes 20 years after being put on death row, and while he was also serving time for the killings of two teenage boys who were slain the year before Tiffany Harville was fatally stabbed."

Yeah, he's a scumbag, but that's not what this situation is about.

 

[HomerJS]

Yeah, he's a scumbag, but that's not what this situation is about.

If its not religious freedom for all it is religious freedom?

 

[pcgeek11]

If he was religious he would not have murdered three innocent teens. He shouldn't have been allowed to live for 20 years on death row either.

Fuck him.

 

[ch33zw1z]

If he was religious he would not have murdered three innocent teens. He shouldn't have been allowed to live for 20 years on death row either.

Fuck him.

Yeah! Get that fucker. Someone stopped reading after the fire and brimstone passages. Again, you aren't actually addressing the topic or article. I'm not even questioning the sentencing, just how skewed towards Christianity our countries preference is. This situation is a prime example of preferencial religious treatment, in a state that makes no secret of it.

 

[pcgeek11]

I guess he should have murdered them in another more liberal state.

 

[Commodus]

If he was religious he would not have murdered three innocent teens. He shouldn't have been allowed to live for 20 years on death row either.

Fuck him.

There's a tremendous irony to claiming religious hypocrisy while simultaneously shouting "fuck him." What was that whole thing about turning the other cheek, or forgiving one another? I'm not religious, but it baffles me to no end that the US is seemingly defined by a version of Christianity where people will ignore any tenet that gets in the way of their impulses and desires.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I guess he should have murdered them in another more liberal state.

Like which one?

 

[K1052]

In a turn that should surprise nobody the conservative vision of "religious liberty" is in fact extremely narrow.

 

[Indus]

If he was religious he would not have murdered three innocent teens. He shouldn't have been allowed to live for 20 years on death row either.

Fuck him.

When are you gonna make that same argument against closed minded conservatives who kill transgender people?

Transgenders are murdered far more often than kids in America and no one bats an eyelash.

 

[pcgeek11]

There's a tremendous irony to claiming religious hypocrisy while simultaneously shouting "fuck him." What was that whole thing about turning the other cheek, or forgiving one another? I'm not religious, but it baffles me to no end that the US is seemingly defined by a version of Christianity where people will ignore any tenet that gets in the way of their impulses and desires.

He isn't a religious person or he would not have been a murderer. Why does he need a religious attendant in the death chamber with him? I have no sympathy for people who murder innocent people.

 

[ch33zw1z]

When are you gonna make that same argument against closed minded conservatives who kill transgender people?

Transgenders are murdered far more often than kids in America and no one bats an eyelash.

They shouldn't have dressed like that. #bothsides.

 

[Sonikku]

This is why I'm far more worried when some of the liberals around here are all like "Well if the court approves X then they can't also deny Y because of consistency", when really, they can. This will be a court of contradictions that will rubber stamp the Republican agenda one way while striking down the Democrat agenda the next, even when both are using similar logic in apples to apples comparison.

 

[pcgeek11]

When are you gonna make that same argument against closed minded conservatives who kill transgender people?

Transgenders are murdered far more often than kids in America and no one bats an eyelash.

I didn't think I made any exceptions in my statement above. Anyone that kills and innocent person deserves the death penalty. It doesn't matter if they are trans or gay or queer or lesbian or straight or ...

 

[Commodus]

He isn't a religious person or he would not have been a murderer. Why does he need a religious attendant in the death chamber with him? I have no sympathy for people who murder innocent people.

Are you Christian? Because if you are, you're violating your religious principles right now.

 

[ch33zw1z]

He isn't a religious person or he would not have been a murderer. Why does he need a religious attendant in the death chamber with him? I have no sympathy for people who murder innocent people.

Yeah, this isn't about sympathy. It's about religious freedom, you ready to discuss the topic or just gonna keep talking about how bad of a dude he was, I mean... We already know that.

 

[Fenixgoon]

He isn't a religious person or he would not have been a murderer. Why does he need a religious attendant in the death chamber with him? I have no syempathy for people who murder innocent people.

what evidence do you have of this? do you have a population-level epidemiological study that indicates that religious belief of any kind essentially inoculates one against the act of murder? please, show us all the evidence you have.

as for the latter point, if christians are permitted a chaplain in accordance with the law, then there stands no reason why a person of a different religion can't have their own spiritual adviser with them.

edit: whether you have sympathy or not is irrelevant. if nothing else, you should care about preserving religious freedom for all citizens and ensuring equal protection under the law. unless you don't actually care about those things, of course.

 

[Greenman]

I wasn't aware that prisoners had the right to spiritual guidance at their death. It seems like the right thing to do though.
It's a pity the fellow in question didn't seek this guidance 25 years ago, he might have avoided the entire issue.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I wasn't aware that prisoners had the right to spiritual guidance at their death. It seems like the right thing to do though.
It's a pity the fellow in question didn't seek this guidance 25 years ago, he might have avoided the entire issue.

Yeah, it sure is. But just like pcgeeks replies, that's not what this is about. Plenty of scumbags find Jesus in prison, and allowances are made even on death row under religious freedoms. Either we celebrate and support religious freedoms for all religions, or we don't.

I havent seen anyone argue that he shouldn't be on death row. Him and his accomplice committed extremely heinous crimes, and towards children no less. Fuck him for sure, let him pretend his God GAF.

 

[pcgeek11]

Are you Christian? Because if you are, you're violating your religious principles right now.

Regardless. My belief is my own.

Yeah, this isn't about sympathy. It's about religious freedom, you ready to discuss the topic or just gonna keep talking about how bad of a dude he was, I mean... We already know that.

In my opinion he gave up his freedoms when he murdered and raped innocent teenagers.