Religious exemption valid?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

As TGN points out, the validity of any religious exemption is largely dependent on the religious leanings of the judge(s) who get to decide on its validity. It was ever thus.

Boru

That is likely true and it's an egregious error as justice is supposed to be blind.  Personal bias is not intended to weigh in a judges decision.

No argument. Unfortunately, we’re saddled with human judges, who in turn are saddled with all the human bigotries, biases and conceits as the rest of us. 

Personally, I cannot wait to welcome our robot overlords.

Boru

[AFTT47]

This is one of those areas where I don't think religious thinking should be respected. It's not based on the reality the rest of us are dealing with and there are actual lives at risk. You don't get to have your unreasonable delusions coddled while people might suffer from your choices. 

I absolutely agree. What if their religion requires them to sacrifice a virgin? Obviously, they don't get to do that. This is no different - or at least it shouldn't be.

[Spongebob]

A question such as this is where ideology and laws conflict and law must always take precedence. I think we are entering a period where people of a certain political persuasion no longer want to recognize law or even the authority of government. We are looking at anarchy and this is precisely the weakness that liberal democracy presents. Because liberal democracy provides individuals so much freedom, that freedom can be abused and when the abuse gets extreme enough, anarchy can ensue. The resulting phase is likely draconian dictatorship.

[AFTT47]

I hear you, porous one. They say there is nothing so dangerous as a cornered, wounded animal. Many of those of the "political persuasion" you speak of probably see themselves in such terms. What are they to do? They are a dieing breed and they know it.

Violence may be inevitable.