[thechat] King Preaches Abstinence to Parading Maidens

[Erika Meyer]

>Freedom of religion is a right. Freedom to practice a religion is a
>right. Freedom to manifest a religion is not an absolute right by any
>means; it depends how exactly you wish to manifest it. If you are a
>Christian and you wish to build a church in my backyard thus blocking
>the sun from my property, I will have your planning application refused.


Or, if you are a Native American and the traditional use of your
sacred area  interferes with industrial commerce and recreation, you
will have to give that part of your religion up.  Because only
"western" views of "church" as a building that can be erected
regardless of location are acceptable to the US supreme court.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P27C422D1

Reality is that money trumps God in this day and age.
Your religion cannot interfere with your job, for example.
My boss is not legally obligated to give me 10 days off so I can go
to Pecwan and help the balance the earth.

The balancing the earth ceremony is in progress now and will end at
sunset on the night of the full moon (Sept 21).  Everyone camps and
fasts and prays.  The dancers sleep in the sweathouse.  At the end, a
feast.
http://www.tidepool.com/toadeye/dancer.html

As for equality, not everyone wants the same thing.  So you may treat
everyone equally under your set of standards for what equality should
be... but they may still feel discriminated against because they
don't want the same things you want.

For example, women are physiologically different from men.  So they
may require different medical treatment than men.

During childbirth, for example, a women may need a midwife, while a
man may just need a beer and a TV.

Providing both mother and father only with a beer and a TV during the
process of childbirth would equal, but not really fair.

This is an extreme (and slightly silly) example, but there are
several lesser examples that occur constantly.  People simply don't
all have the same wants and needs.

E

>If I decide not to oppose your planning application, then it is a
>privilege for you to build your church there at my discretion. This does
>not affect your human rights in any way. It is contextual.
>
>My reason for participating in this discussion is not that I am a bigot
>and think that people should *not* have equal rights and opportunities.
>I believe that this *should* be the case. My views on how we should go
>about achieving this differ from some others'.
>
>Regards
>
>Chris Marsh
>

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