Closing Statement- Debate on Religious Freedom 

In the first amendment of the constitution, it says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Even if it seems outdated to allow people their religious freedom, it is still important to honor what it says here. Hobby Lobby has outstretched it’s hand above and beyond, providing 16 different measures of contraception, copay free.  

    They include Male condoms, Female condoms, Diaphragms with spermicide sponges with spermicide cervical caps, Birth Control pills with estrogen and progestin, Contraceptive patches and rings, Progestin injections, implantable rods, Vasectomies, Female sterilization surgeries and Female sterilization implants. Where they draw the line is at Abortions.

    Picture yourself having grown up your entire life abhorring and renouncing the idea of Abortions. Everything in the fiber of your being is against the concept. Whether you agree or disagree with these people, it is wrong to not let them have their religious freedom. A sin of Omission, in other words a wrong that is not directly done by somebody, is as frowned upon as a direct sin in the Christian Religion. So by forcing somebody to provide something that they see as a mortal sin is something they shouldn’t be asked to do. The constitution is there to protect the rights of everyone, including those who merely don’t want to be part of an act that they don’t believe in.

    In addition, the Freedom Restoration act “Prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State (the government) from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except that the government may burden a person's exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) furthers a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.

    I’ll end on this: If you can only stick up and agree with people who are in your own Political party and live the way that you want to, what is the use of a Constitution? What is the point in living in a Nation where some people deserve rights and some people don’t? I ask you to consider how difficult it would be for somebody to go against their beliefs and have empathy for their cause. Thank you.