Another misleading title. This is the “freedom of religion to endorse political positions, freedom of religion for businesses to deny otherwise public services to public clients or customers based upon disagreeing with their customers beliefs” bill. This bill legalizes discrimination by refusing public services to anyone that happens to have any different beliefs. Any business or religion can gather and practice their legal beliefs. No business or religion can act to oppress the legal beliefs of ‘others’ or deny otherwise public business services to ‘others’, since the ‘others’ are provided all of the same protections and rights under our law. Publicly licensed businesses are obligated to comply with the rules that govern the public irrespective of their own political beliefs. Religious organizations that interject themselves into political processes or decisions are lobbying for special treatment for their own political belief’s to force their beliefs upon others- and therefore, represent special interests lobbying for political change and should not qualify for tax exemptions otherwise afforded religious institutions. This legislation is a bad idea and can readily be abused in many, many ways.

Nooooooo. Freedom of religion is NOT the freedom to justify acts of hate, violence, segregation based on religion. Congress shall make no law favoring any religion, that means people are protected from the dogma of a religion that is not theirs. THAT is what freedom of religion is.

This is a thinly disguised attempt to trick people into accepting businesses discriminating against people they think are beneath them. If any religious institution endorses political positions they should pay taxes. If they discriminate against others they should be closed.

Religious beliefs do not belong in government. Our nation is founded on the rule of law. Religion does not belong in government under any circumstances.

... Freedom to force children into marriage... freedom to mutilate girls genitalia... freedom to torture children with conversion “therapy”... freedom to beat women and children because as the head of the house you own them... freedom to murder for honor... NO. Religion has killed more people in human history than any disease. Our government is secular. Keep it that way. Don’t allow discrimination based on religion. That is NOT what the constitution means.

This is another attempt to allow discrimination based on religious beliefs.

I don’t equate freedom of religion with freedom to oppress. Neither should anyone else.

Organizations that deny full human and civil rights to some people, or that oppose settled policy on issues such as race or sexuality, shouldn’t be allowed to maintain their tax-exempt status. The federal government previously held this view when it revoked Bob Jones University’s tax-exempt status over its interracial dating ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

You can name this Freedom of Conscience and make attempts to allude it somehow holds up the First Amendment Rights, just like you can call a duck a cow. However, I believe if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks and smells like a duck...it’s a duck! What it truly means is the right to deny civil liberties or human rights to others based upon your religious beliefs! The “right” not to provide medical services, such as abortion or sterilization procedures, because doing so would be contrary to the individual’s religious beliefs or moral convictions. The right not to provide services, such as baking a cake, because the couples’ gender preferences are not in your religious wheelhouse. The right to not issue marriage licenses to a same sex couple, because of your religious beliefs. The right to endorse and fund raise for candidates through the church because that candidate lines up with church ideals...all while maintaining tax-exempt status. Some of my Christian friends are peeing your pants right now, because this sounds so good, right? Right!!! Will it sound good to you when the Hindu grocery clerk refuses to allow you to buy the sirloin steaks you picked up for dinner? Or the Jewish person in the quick-care waiting room turns off the TV everyone is watching because it’s Saturday morning and it’s Shabbat. Are you good with every child in the Second Grade classroom sitting through the Pledge of Allegiance because the teacher happens to be a Jehovah’s Witness? These examples are of other major religions. I could share examples of minor religious groups and cults, too. Some that believe in mutilating genitalia, in polygamy, in covering women from head to toe and gang raping her for minor indiscretions...enough said. Bottom line, there is a very clear intelligent reason our forefathers kept Religion and State separate. We are NOT a Christian nation. We have many faiths and for some, none at all. Our laws protect all the people, not just the ones your religion picks and chooses.

Why is it as religious believes decline that they try harder to mandate federal regulation for religion? Religion is about belief, if religion fails to get people to believe then so be it.

This is just a way for people to cherry pick which laws they want to follow

If freedom on conscious translates to discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, etc, then the answer is a decided NO. While I support the right of all people to believe however they wish, even to not believe, what I don't support is allowing people to force their beliefs upon others who don't share them. I further don't support allowing those who are in establishments that serve the public and/or work in public positions to refuse to serve individuals who they don't agree with those individuals beliefs and/or lifestyles. You can practice your religion, but don't force those practices on others.

Boo. We have the Bill of Rights

Call it what it is, legal discrimination.

Let's just go with the entire reason that this Bill is a NO GO. Organizations that deny full human and civil rights to some people, or that oppose settled policy on issues such as race or sexuality, shouldn’t be allowed to maintain their tax-exempt status. The federal government previously held this view when it revoked Bob Jones University’s tax-exempt status over its interracial dating ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

You republicans need to stay in your lane! If we choose not to have religious beliefs as citizens. What business is it of yours? You are not responsible for my soul. You all need to be more worried about your own souls. HELL is going to be LIT with all of you!

Organizations that deny full human and civil rights to some people, or that oppose settled policy on issues such as race or sexuality, shouldn’t be allowed to maintain their tax-exempt status. The revoking of Bob Jones University’s tax-exempt status over an interracial dating ban was upheld by the Supreme Court.