DOJ lays out Trump admin’s guidelines for religious liberties protections

[Right_in_Virginia]

DOJ lays out Trump admin’s guidelines for religious liberties protections
Washington Times, Oct 6, 2017, Andrea Noble

The Justice Department issued legal guidance across the federal government Friday that will shape how the Trump administration interprets religious liberties protections, interpretations expected to come into play in a number of ongoing lawsuits.

The memo, issued by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, does not resolve any specific ongoing litigation, but it will serve as a baseline for how the Justice Department will interpret current federal laws such as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Among 20 principles outlined in the memo, the Justice Department finds that RFRA protections extend not just to individuals but also to organizations, associations and at least some for-profit companies and that the government is not permitted to “second-guess the reasonableness of a religious belief.”


More: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/6/doj-lays-out-guidelines-religious-liberties/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

[Frank Cannon]

Good.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Politico's in hyperbolic mode ^-^

Sessions outlines broad exemptions for religious freedom
Politico, Oct 6, 2017

Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued government-wide legal guidance Friday that urges sweeping protection for religious freedom and could impact a series of pending policy decisions involving health care, LGBT rights and even disaster relief.

<snip>

The new Justice Department guidance takes a muscular view of religious freedom rights, but officials insisted that the document is a neutral description of existing law and not an effort to weigh in on particular policy issues.

"Religious liberty is not merely a right to personal religious beliefs or even to worship in a sacred place," Sessions wrote. "Except in the narrowest of circumstances, no one should be forced to choose between living out his or her faith and complying with the law. Therefore, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, religious observance should be reasonably accommodated in all government activity, including employment, contracting and programming."


More: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/06/sessions-calls-for-broad-religious-freedom-protections-243536