This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Hallelujah. Amen. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that certain "closely held" businesses do not have to pay for certain birth controls based on the corporation's religious freedom.
Thank you, Supreme Court. Orrin Hatch has come out saying this is a triumph for religious freedom. The First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion. Therefore we are free to practice our religion as we see fit, but we are also free from religion if we choose. Since I choose the latter, I now am allowed to deny service to those who offend my lack of religious sensibility. If you would like to rent from me, my corporate lack of religion can deny you if you practice abstinence for birth control. My small corporation finds that abstinence denies basic human needs and functions and is therefore offensive.
But my small, closely held, corporation also finds many other issues offensive to its freedom from religion. For example, if you are not gay, and being gay can be the ultimate form of birth control, I find your methods offensive. So please, apply to rent from me only if you will fly a rainbow flag. Otherwise my corporation will be offended.
Ludicrous, isn't it?
Travis Jones
Salt Lake City