Don’t Give Up
February 21, 2019
(An Open letter to Idaho’s Senate President ProTem on the day you say there will be no bill to ADD the WORDS.)
Senator Hill,
Please do not give up
As you said, “True believers on all sides condemn intolerance and discrimination.” You acknowledge that harm is being done and that legislators know that it is. Idaho families know there is harm.
I understand that it is hard to accept gay marriage within the context of scripture. There is no place for same sex unions in your theology. But I have to hope you understand and agree that no ones’ theology, not mine, not yours, can be placed in law.
The first sentence of Idaho’s own Constitution addresses public accommodation as it lists acquiring property among our inalienable rights as Idahoans and individuals.
The third section of Idaho’s Constitution guarantees religious liberty. There we promise specifically “the free exercise and enjoyment of faith and worship.”
There is however in our constitution no mention of free exercise of “religious convictions.” If there were I feel sure that women would never have been included in Idaho’s Human Rights Act because many hold with the Bible’s tenant still that a woman belongs to her husband and has little or no right to education or to purchase or own property. So would you agree with them it is a violation of conscience to sell a woman a car or tailor her a pair of pants in the same way it is a violation in your mind to bake my wife and I a wedding cake?
As hard as it is to stomach other people’s choices and rights as they relate to your religious beliefs, the two in law, according to our constitution, must be separate.
Our founders limit the free exercise of religion clearly by continuing the first sentence of our constitution’s right to religious liberty with “the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be construed to dispense with oaths or affirmations … or justify… pernicious practices inconsistent with morality or the peace or safety of the state.” Morality is not synonymous with religious faith or belief and, under our U.S. constitution, simply can not be. It is more as you yourself have stated that, “True believers on all sides condemn intolerance and discrimination” for those are pernicious acts.
Please do not give up. Our human rights act has safeguarded religious liberty justly for decades. It will continue to do so, even if gay and transgender people are fully included.
Please know that with your leadership, in the Idaho legislature, anything is possible.
Sincerely and with respect,
…nicole lefavour