<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>A couple questions regarding "religious convictions" . . .</div><div><br></div><div>What is the legally recognized (and enforceable) definition of "a religion"?</div><div><br></div><div>What is the legally recognized (and enforceable) definition of "a religious conviction"?</div><div><br></div><div>I have heard it said that the only difference between a cult and a religion is the size of the membership.</div><div><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"There's room at the top they are telling you still.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- John Lennon</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div></div><div><br>On Feb 14, 2014, at 5:44 PM, "deb" <<a href="mailto:debismith@moscow.com">debismith@moscow.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
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<div><font size="2" face="Arial">I'm a Wiccan with sincere religious beliefs. Can I
refuse to sell vegetables to right wing Xtians who want to burn me? And why
would I? I don't give a flying damn about their religion: they want veg, I want
their money. Not a problem....</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">However, if I need my rototiller fixed, can the guy
who's the "fix-it" refuse because I'm a Witch? Who gets to decide if his beliefs
are sincere or just a right wing political reaction to my known political
lefty leanings? Big time trouble with this one, again causing the tax
payers in Idaho a ton of money in court costs while the poorest residents of our
state still can't get medical services.....I love Idaho, but our politicians
(note I didn't even <u><em>hint</em></u> at "statesmen/women") need a wake-up
call about the realities of our state. Those 70somethings with "fear of the
different" are dying off, and new/younger voters are beginning to feel the pain.
</font></div>
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<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Good thing for those right wingers they put
education in the toilet in Idaho. A stupid public is easily influenced----"a
chicken in every pot? Sure, and we will make sure the gays/liberals/muslims/feds
don't take it away from you! You need a hospital? Hush up! Just die, 'cause
there's always more of you uneducated fools to vote for us....."</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">My nasty rant for the month. Done. Don't bother to
reply. I'm preaching to the choir, and other than that I know I'm trying to
teach the pig to sing: annoying the pig and wasting my time. </font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Debi R-S</font></div>
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<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><b>From:</b>
<a title="suehovey@moscow.com" href="mailto:suehovey@moscow.com">Sue Hovey</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title="sunilramalingam@hotmail.com" href="mailto:sunilramalingam@hotmail.com">Sunil</a> ; <a title="vision2020@moscow.com" href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision
2020</a> </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 14, 2014 1:11
PM</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] And now Kansas
. . .</div>
<div><br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<div>I’m sure ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) wrote them. One
thing that ticks me off is our tax money goes to pay the Idaho memberships in
ALEC. A number of Idaho legislators have been on their governing
board. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Isn’t it interesting that the legislators are giving persons with
“sincere religious convictions” license to be practicing bigots. What if
I am Muslim and believe in Sharia law? Am I also free to claim “sincere
religious convictions” and discriminate against women in public? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Additionally, if my doctor has given me a prescription, why should a
pharmacist be given legal permission to refuse to fill it? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>When I was teaching, I had a couple of students who claimed to be
witches....should I have had them killed before or after school?(Exodus
22:18)</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Sue </div>
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<div style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<div> </div>
<div style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<div style="font-color: black"><b>From:</b> <a title="sunilramalingam@hotmail.com" href="mailto:sunilramalingam@hotmail.com">Sunil</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 14, 2014 3:52 AM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a title="vision2020@moscow.com" href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision 2020</a> </div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] And now Kansas . . .</div></div></div>
<div> </div></div>
<div style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">
<div dir="ltr">Roger,<br><br>Let's turn what you're saying on its head: How
about, if someone doesn't want to serve the public, he or she doesn't become a
pharmacist? How about that person goes and digs ditches instead?<br><br>It
would be interesting to see the bills and how similar they are. Which
organization is drafting them? Or did people in different states happen to
come up with the same bigoted, boneheaded idea at the same
time?<br><br>Sunil<br><br>
<div>
<hr id="stopSpelling">
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 17:13:11 -0800<br>To: <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</a>;
<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a><br>From: <a href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com">lfalen@turbonet.com</a><br>Subject: Re: [Vision2020]
And now Kansas . . .<br><br>
<div dir="ltr" class="ecxiw_mail">
<div dir="ltr" class="ecxiw_mail">I have mixed feelings about theses bills. EMT's
and Emergency Room Personell should provide service to everyone no matter who
they are. Like wise any government agency should provide service to everyone.
A Pharmacist dispensing pills is another mater. A person could simpley
go to another pharmacy. Likewise for the people who wanted a wedding
cake.<br>As written though I would be against the Idaho, Tennessee and Kansas
bills.<br>Roger<br><br>
<div class="ecxsignature"></div><br>
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<hr size="1">
-----Original Message-----<br>From: "Tom Hansen" <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a>><br>To: "Moscow
Vision 2020" <<a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</a>><br>Date:
02/13/14 16:14<br>Subject: [Vision2020] And now Kansas . . .<br><br>
<div>
<div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div>Courtesy of Time magazine at:</div>
<div> </div>
<div><span><a href="http://nation.time.com/2014/02/11/kansas-bill-allowing-refusal-of-service-to-gay-couples-moves-forward/print/" target="_blank">http://nation.time.com/2014/02/11/kansas-bill-allowing-refusal-of-service-to-gay-couples-moves-forward/print/</a></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>-----------------------------------</div>
<div>
<h1 style="FONT-FAMILY: helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class="ecxentry-title">Kansas Bill Allowing Refusal Of Service to Gay Couples
Moves Forward</h1>
<p style="FONT-FAMILY: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(51,51,51); FONT-SIZE: 1.06em" class="ecxentry-deck">Bill would permit businesses and government employees to
deny service on basis of religious principles</p> </div>
<div><span>Kansas lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that would permit
businesses and government employees to deny service to same-sex couples on
the basis of their religious principles. The measure passed an initial vote
in the house by a significant margin, 72 votes to 42 votes. In a final vote
on Wednesday, the bill succeeded 72 votes to 49 votes and will now be
considered by the Republican-controlled state senate.</span></div>
<div>
<p><span>State lawmakers engaged in heated debate over <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2453_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2453</a>, which would allow hotels, restaurants and
stores in the state to refuse to serve gay couples if "it would be contrary
to their sincerely held religious beliefs." The bill would also allow
government clerks to refuse to sign same-sex marriage licenses without
threat of a lawsuit.</span></p>
<p><span>If a government employee chooses to refuse service, the bill states
that the government must attempt to provide another employee to "promptly"
provide that service "if it can be done without undue hardship to the
employer."</span></p>
<p><span>This bill is part of a <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://nation.time.com/2014/02/10/gay-marriage-kansas-colorado-wedding-cake/" target="_blank">larger trend across the U.S.</a>, pitting gay rights advocates
against conservatives who say same-sex marriage is contrary to their
religious beliefs. A baker in Colorado was ordered to stop discriminating
against same-sex couples in December, after refusing to make a cake for a
gay couple's wedding.</span></p>
<p><span>--------------------</span></p>
<p><span>Kansas House Bill 2453</span></p>
<p><span><a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2453_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2453_00_0000.pdf</a></span></p>
<p><span> </span><span>-----------------------------------</span></p> </div>
<div>
<div><span>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div>
<div><span><br></span></div>
<div><span>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants
on)</span></div>
<div><a style="href: 'http://www.moscowcares.com/'" target="_blank"><font color="#000000"></font></a><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com" target="_blank">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></font></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>
<div><span>Tom Hansen</span></div>
<div><span>Moscow, Idaho</span></div> </div>
<div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div>
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