October 16, 2008

A post with meat

A recent editorial in the Toronto Sun caught my eye. Alan Shanoff wrote about a religious group in Alberta called the Hutterian Brethren, who are arguing before the Supreme Court of Canada that they should be exempt from having their pictures taken for driver's licenses. It seems the Hutterian Brethren take very literally the second commandment, which states, in part:

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth (Exodus 20:4).
According to the Brethren, this commandment prevents them from voluntarily having their picture taken, which they interpret as 'making an idol.' Leaving off the fact that they seem to be quoting the verse out of context, and misinterpreting their own scripture, their argument is that the Government of Alberta, in refusing to issue driver's licenses to people who decline to have their picture taken, is infringing on their right to freely practice their religion.

Actually, their argument is slightly more complex than that. According to the Shanoff article, the Government of Alberta is preventing them from "continuing their communal way of life." Whatever that means.

Those of you who have been reading AWV for a while probably know my response to this. As I did for Mr. Balinder Badesha a few months ago, I have a couple of questions for the Hutterian Brethren:
1) Does your religion prevent you from posing for a driver's license photo?
We know the answer to this question, because it is the basis of their argument before the Supreme Court. (In case you weren't paying attention, their answer to the first question is, "yes."
2) Does your religion require you to operate a motor vehicle?
Now, here's the thing, uh, Brethren. If you try to answer, "yes," to this one, I'm gonna hafta ask for some kinda, you know, documentation. You're gonna hafta show me where, in your Holy Book, God says, "thou shalt operate motorized vehicles on public roadways." 'Cause, you know, I've read it, and I'm pretty sure that isn't in there.

So, for the record: requiring you to adhere to the law does not, in any way, infringe upon your right to believe silly things. Case dismissed.



Also, Alberta beef. Mmmm!


9 comments:

Call me Paul said...

Can you imagine the remarkable restraint required to stop myself from making a "Jabba the Hutterian" joke? Can you?

Dawn said...

Oh DAMN! I was just going to make a Jabba joke!!!! LOL

Ahhh there's the beef!

Stupid people... You are exactly right... since the bible doesn't require them to drive they should either bus it or walk and STFU and stop clogging up the court systems with stupid shit.

Have a great day!

be well...

Simon said...

Mmm... Alberta beef indeed.

I also like how the northwestern-most red dot on your visitor map is distinguishable as me. I'm awesome!!

As for the topic at hand, well, nothing induces indignant silliness quite as quickly or as vehemently as does religion. Politics sometimes comes close.

Simon said...

Why do I sometimes have to leave a second comment just to trigger that "email follow-up comments" option?

Dammit.

Ken Riches said...

I am going to get my licnese renewed tomorrow. I will have my picture taken :o)

Leigh/BlueDragonfly said...

I just went through the driver's license photo ordeal. ;(
Look at it this way-they won't be clogging up the highways!
:) Leigh

~Rebecca Anne~ said...

Ok, found you. One down, 100 more to go......I'm having so much fun today.

I hope you are well, I'll be back for some meat when my brain isn't already well done~~
Rebecca

~Rebecca Anne~ said...

I'm back for some meat.
Now see, I would tell those people what I've recently explained to my 16 year old daughter who is in the process (more like scaring the shit out of me and my car) of obtaining her drivers license.

I explained...Driving is not a right, nor is it something you are entitled to in any shape or form. You break the driving laws, or my parental laws and you'll be peddling a bike for the rest of your natural born life....

Maybe I should talk to these people~

Rebecca

Dawn Allynn said...

I should have dropped by earlier to see this post, what a wise a funny man you are Paul :)