Home › Forums › General Discussion › Should Religion be exempt from Equal rights laws? › Reply To: Should Religion be exempt from Equal rights laws?
The problem lies with what is discrimination and what is not.
A bus trip for the elderly to the beach for an example. Would it make sense to bring a case of discrimination against whoever organised it because a group of teenagers were not allowed on the bus to join the trip?
That is a clear case of age based discrimination.
Or how about a man being arrested for entering the womens changing rooms at a swimming pool? Isn’t that discrimination based on gender?
Given the sickening crimes perpetrated by members of the clergy and covered up by the hierarchy both here and indeed worldwide can they be relied upon to make fair and just decisions on a localized basis ?
Yes, interesting that some religions won’t let a goup with certain sexual practises in, yet their reaction to those already in that not only practice those sexual practises, and do it by force or coercion that anywhere else would be called rape, and to crown it all it more often than not involves children, their response is less than a slap on the wrist and to move them to “New Pastures” so to speak.
The main concern over the right regarding discrimination is that some are not really clear about that their rights are. Do I have the right to join any organisation? Obviously not. I have never been in the military so I could not join the RSA (Returned Services Association). With regard to religious groups then I guess it would depend.
Bit like a girl wanting to go to an all male military academy. That is rather expensive for the military academy as extra facilities need to be created… mens and womens showers/toilets/changing areas etc etc.
If a religious group think a certain sexual activity is bad, yet people who practise that activity want to join then you really have to look at their reasons for joining and also the reasons for refusing them. Do they want to change their activity and want support? Do they want to change the organisation or make a political point?
If we make it clearer would it make sense to demand the KKK accept non white members? Some could say if they don’t then they are violating the rights of those wishing to join. Others would say that those wanting to join don’t have honourable intentions in the first place. Some organisations welcome change and others do not.
Equally if there is one rule for all and no one should practise discrimination based on sex, race, or religious beliefs etc etc, then programs like affirmative action becomes illegal. Many militaries around the world have situations where females pass because they are female to meet quotas for recruitment. Those men who perhaps did better on their tests than women that were accepted were discriminated against. Over time tests have evolved to allow the different genders compete on a more even playing field, but fitness tests widely used have different requirements for women and for men. If the tests are for doing a specific job then the level required to do the job shouldn’t depend on whether a man or a woman is performing that task. A box of tools doesn’t suddenly become lighter because a woman is carrying it.
The reality is that life isn’t fair. Those that complain and whine generally get the best of both worlds.