It Was Never About Religious Liberty

Evangelical Christians want to impose their faith, not merely practice it

Image: Cheryl Casey, Shutterstock, image purchased with standard license by the author

For years, Christian conservatives have insisted their religious liberties are under attack. The proof, to hear them tell it, can be found everywhere.

So, for instance, if you require Bible-believing county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, you are trampling on their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Never mind that these officials are government employees whose salaries are paid by the taxpayers, including gay taxpayers. Apparently, they should be exempt from doing their jobs in an equitable manner because their freedom of conscience outweighs the rights of gay or lesbian couples seeking to wed.

Likewise, if the state requires Christian cake-makers, website designers, photographers, or other service providers to offer those services to all, regardless of sexual orientation, they are violating the religious liberty of Christian businesspersons.

So too, is religious freedom squashed by expecting Christian pharmacists to fill prescriptions for birth control they believe to be abortifacient and, thus, responsible for taking human life.

Or requiring health insurance plans to cover IUDs, HPV vaccines for youth, or…