Comments on: Religious minorities face Real ID crackdown

Some religious groups object to having their photographs on driver's licenses. But licenses without photos don't comply with Real ID.

[baisa]

Supreme Court was wrong

The Supreme Court was simply wrong in its decision. Freedom of Religion means the ability to practice one's religious (or philosophic) beliefs without coercion or discrimination by the government. HOWEVER this does not mean that any objectively legitimate rules or requirements of government need to be waived to accommodate particular beliefs. This is patently absurd. People can chose to believe all kinds of ridiculous nonsense -- that doesn't mean the government needs to accommodate that. If you chose to believe that there is a Santa Claus, oops, I mean God, and that he speaks to you (or someone) (isn't that a defining symptom of schizophrenia???) and gives orders like, "No picture on a driver's license", then... tough.

This is reminiscent of the decision in Canada to allow Sikhs in the RCMP to wear turbans instead of the regulation headgear -- freedom of religion does NOT mean a condition where the believer is absolved of the logical consequences of their belief. Frankly, if I believe there is a God, and that he speaks to me (or someone) and tells me/them I have to wear a turban, then I am objectively NOT fit to serve as an officer of the law.

[JM_Brazil]

Well said.

Bravo.

[SJ2571]

Bible verse

An idol is an idol; it's not a photograph. There is a difference. A photograph doesn't break that commandment.

[inachu]

A picture can be an idol.

If I carry a drawing or a picture of a drawing of the virgin marry in my wallet or britney spears in my wallet than I am idolizing them.

If I have Mr. Moon in every room of my house than I am idolizing him.

Any time you lift a person higher than yourself and have a picture of them then you are idolizing them.

This does not pertain to family pictures.

[mal v]

Religious-Minorities-Face-Real-ID-Crackdown

It is sad to see that the mainstream religions, Christian and Jewish, of the non radical type, mean nothing today. Islam is Islam and it will never change. But the radical brands of the Christian and Jewish religions plus all the rest of the radicals seem to be, as usual taking over. I think I will try to modify, for my benifit, the Christian religion. To pray or go to services you must wear glasses. How about that?

[JM_Brazil]

wtf?

I still prefer the religion John-ism which says its against my religion to get a parking ticket.

[GiveItSomeThought]

Is the issue one of knowing the intended meaning of the scripture?

Is our own idea of a thing necessarily correct? Where multiple interpretations exist, what then?


What did people do in times of old?


Genesis 40:8
"And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you."

Genesis 41:15-16,39
"And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it."
"And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
"And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:"

2 Peter 1:20-21
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."


Long ago, did people turn to God for answers?
Apparently so. Answers came, in prayer from heaven, but also through holy men of God. How could people possibly have such confidence in these men?


The Lord has said,

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."


So can people can have confidence in otherwise ordinary men, as the last phrases state?


The holy men of God referred to, His servants, are always appointed or called by Him. He knows them, He chooses them, not the other way around.

The other way around results in confusion.

See how Saul (Paul) and Barnabas were separated or called for God's work, in Acts 13:1-2 (don't ignore verse 1).


Things worked differently then. And they worked.


Such is also available today, just not in the conventional places you may be accustomed to looking.

[JM_Brazil]

What does this have to do with the subject at hand?

I think you've got to much time on your hands.

[digital dropout]

WHOSE I.D.

How ignorantly stupid can Americans let themselves become????
Primitive pygmies for heavens sake know more about their soul than these so called modern "outcome based educated" people! Are people now delusional in their self esteem, increasingly emulating the "all seeing" god!
We have used our own I.D.(ie:our own bodies) since the beginning of time. Our body and soul is the perfect identifier of ourselves.
How stupid can one be to forfeit the ownership and control over the ability to function in this world, to some electronic jailer who will now hold and control our I.D..
To exchange your body as I.D., for a data based biometric identifier owned by some outfit like "Homeland Insecurity", and run by some guy Chertoff(translation "of the devil")from the KGB, you are clearly have to be an uninformed ignorant fool!
ALL IDENTIFIERS, APART FROM YOUR BODY, ARE PROPERTY OF THE ISSUER! All the plastic you mistakenly call your own, is simply a leash that has you collared. Times are rapidly changing and biometrics are turning this collar into a noose. Stay leashed at your own peril, but leave me out of this stupid totalitarian scheme.
THESE IDENTIFIERS REDUCE YOU TO SLAVE STATUS AT BEST!
This transformation to a mandatory corporate I.D. owned by some parent company like "Homeland Insecurity" reduces all Constitutional Rights to mere Privileges that can be withheld in a nano second(real time), any time.
Please, please Gullible Gulliver it is past time that you to wake up, and now!
Digital Dropout

[novelator]

Federal Reserve is the real Enemy

Every day I wake up I feel more and more like I'm a character in a story by George Orwell.

The Federal Reserve is using our own government against us to enslave us, to know where we're going and what we're doing every minute of the day and night. That's the bottom line.

To fight back is simple. Stop paying your credit cards. Don't mess with the IRS--that gestapo unit can put you in jail. But the penalty for not paying your credit cards is one, a poor credit rating, and two, possible garnishment of your wages. However, according to my sources within the banking industry, garnishment never happens. Why? Because it costs the banks a pretty penny each and every month to serve the papers to your employer. And if you quit your job because of the garnishment, it's going to cost them even more to track you down at your new one.

This is the ultimate loophole, and one we can exploit until such time as Congress, under pressure from the Federal Reserve, passes a new law against doing so. Then we'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt where the loyalties of Congress lay. The revolution will gain all sorts of support because it will be clear to everyone from all walks of life that we the People must unite and even shed some blood to take our country back. But are we any less than our Forefathers? I think not.

M.L. Bushman

[asdfjasdjklfjl;a]

Remember the atomic bomb drills?

Duck and cover! Those older audiences I'm sure certainly know what i'm talking about. Remember how stupid this was? I bet you feel pretty embarrassed now don't you? Well... when history writes how stupid people are for being afraid of "terrorism" I'm going to proudly say I wasn't a part of it.

I was going to type something more detailed but I think this gets a better message across. I would also like to add that there is no point resisting real id. It's going to happen. If you are adamantely opposed to something then it's as simple as don't do it. Sure you won't be able to get on planes, but if you are that strongly committed to your cause, then prove it and don't do it. Easier said than done.

[JM_Brazil]

Sacraficing your neighbors goat

The issue at hand is not terrorism, its not RealID, nor is it about fundamentalism. We are not talking some deep, evil plot by the Fed or by central government to control your life and steal your information. It's a simple question of whether religious groups should be privileged enough to be exempt from the mandatory photo on their drivers licence because of their beliefs.

Mormons believe in bigamy. Think it?s their god-given right to be wed to several women at the same time. Some religions preach violence against Christians and Jews. Hardcore Christians think that homosexuality should be discriminated against. In some countries, deserting your religion can be punishable by death. What about sacrificing a virgin? Think the Government should allow this because a small group of fundamentalists feel that its their right due to their religion?

There?s a fine line between religious freedom and enforcing the law. It?s not a question about Big Brother, or the Fed becoming control freaks. It?s a question about Common Sense, and protecting citizens. Freedom of Religion protects against Blasphemy, against forcing one to adopt a belief against his will, and such. If a woman wants to wear a facemask in public because her belief calls for it, she can. If a man wants to kneel in public and pray, he can. If a man wants to stand on the street corner and preach the word, he can. If a fraud tells people that the more money they give to him, the better they?ll be in the afterlife, he can. Freedom of Religion allows for this.
If a man wants to blow himself up on a street corner in the name of a Higher Force, fortunately, he cannot.(Legally, anyway.) If a family refuses to pay taxes because they feel that they are exempt as their God does not allow them to do this, they cannot. If a mans has the desire to sacrifice his neighbor?s goat, he cannot. Freedom of Religion does not cover this.

If a man says his God does not permit him to be photographed, fine. Take a bus.

[jeolmeun]

If fear of terrorism stupid, then Real ID stupid?

If you think the fear of terrorism is stupid and doing anything because of it is stupid, then you should think Real ID is stupid if the reason for it is the fear of terrorism. Unless you don't mind doing stupid stuff and not resisting atomic bomb drills.

[meski.oz]

-0-

None. People are getting hung up on the idea of having the photo on the ID though. Since it's a religious objection, if they can't see it, they probably won't object. A photo on a database is a virtual rather than a physical representation, and probably can't be an idol by the contrived reading of the bible they are using.

[PzkwVIb]

How nice

that you belive their reading of the Bible is contrived. Must be nice to know you are right and they are wrong. Who needs religious freedom, we just all need to follow you.

Note this is sarcasm.

[fighting.4justice]

The Grim REAPERS of the Evangelical Fundamentalists

It doesn't surprise me that the fundamentalists of South Carolina don't want anyone knowing who they are. Many of them are members of the anti-America, pro-KKKonfederate crowd and other hate-groups in South Carolina and have reason for not wanting the government to have their picture IDs. It has nothing to do with religion but with obfuscation. They just want to hide behind religion. Religion should not be used for special rights and special treatment, because the Constitution calls for all people to be treated equally "regardless" of skin color, religious opinion, or sprouting place.

Should all the African-Americans call for special treatment and exclusion because of their race? Should all Italians call for special treatment and exclusion because of their ethnic origins?

No, and neither should the special interests of the evangelical fundamentalists and other fundamentalist cult-groups be able to claim that their religious opinions are supreme to government security.

For those of you who don't live in South Carolina, and especially the Upstate of SC, it is awash with evangelical fundamentalist religious supremacists who breathe hellfire and brimstone about their self-righteousness of religious opinion...and how everyone but the evangelicals are going to heaven and everyone else will be righteously "killed by God" when Jesus returns! I was told this by my direct supervisor in the workplace because I'm not an evangelical and then he proceeded to let one of his buddies threaten me with a knife right in the break area. I was denied raises and regular reviews...it is a horrible place to live and work because of the fundamentalist evangelical hatreds against everyone who doesn't think like they dictate.

The Sheriff of Spartanburg County, Chuck Wright, declared in the public forum of a State Republican Party fundraiser and open REAPERS meeting (Republican Egocentric Activists Pushing Evangelical Religious Supremacy) that his political and religious opinions are "...what God intended." And the local press, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, run by an extreme evangelical publisher and newsstaff, refused to question Sheriff Chucky on his assertion that every non-evangelical like himself was therefore not "...what God intended."

The Sheriff and his partner in crime against the community, the 7th Circuit Solicitor Hank "Trey" Gowdy, even sent in armed police in a jack-booted raid of a local lingerie business named "Priscilla's" in Spartanburg, SC because they don't think women should dress in lingerie or that the adults in the community should have access to alternative entertainment between consenting adult couples.

That's how crazy the grim REAPERS of the Republican Evangelical Party (REP) are. Fortunately, the Federal Court declared their actions against a completely legitimate business as unconstitutional and made them return all the legal merchandise they stole from them.

Personally, I think Sheriff Chucky Wright and his evangelical buddy 7th Circuit Solicitor Trey Gowdy just wanted free samples without paying.

It's just indicative of what it's like living in a state filled with evangelical KKooKs who are against abiding by the security of America while they claim their religious opinions and cultist beliefs to be "...what God intended."

The Constitution is clear: Nobody should get special treatment because of their racial, religious, or ethnic bigotries.

[Andy kaufman]

That is what they get

for choosing a cult over a real religion. I guess it is Gitmo for them.

[911truthdotorg]

If you want a Real ID, go move to N. Korea!

Our rights, privacy, freedoms and our Constitution is systematically being destroyed and all you lemmings are following each other off the cliff!! My God! Wake the hell up to what's going on!

This is NOT about your safety, it's ALL about controlling you!

And all of this is based on the complete LIE that is the "official" story of 9/11. Research it!!

Google videos: 9/11 Press for Truth, Loose Change, 9/11 Mysteries, Terror Storm

[911truthdotorg]

911truthdotorg

This is where you are absolutely wrong.

These are rights. Just because the gov't tells you they're privileges doesn't make it so.

This is the mindset that needs to change in this country.

The gov't should fear the people, not vice versa!

The "official" story of 9/11 is a LIE!!

www.911truth.org
www.ae911truth.org

[ikaruga2099]

It's an incorrect interpretation of the Bible

The key is "thou shalt not make yourself an *idol*" where an idol is something that takes the place of God. A drivers license is hardly an idol. If she honestly thinks that it is, then why have one at all in the first place?

I hope a serious challenge to the REAL ID pops up.