Burwell V. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.: Article Analysis

The question of religious exemptions from the law has been a controversial issue in the
United States. While there are those that would argue against the creation of an allowance for the exemption of various religious practices from laws that every other American is expected to abide by, the country’s laws have been presented as supportive, considerate and accommodative of religious rights and freedoms. In their article, Koppelman and Gedicks seemed to be arguing that while recognizing or allowing religious freedoms under the law was plausible, it was essential for the same laws to consider situations whereby permitting a religion to practice its freedoms meant that the same laws protecting religions could be burdening other citizens that were …show more content…
Hobby Lobby Stores Inc.,” and how the case relates to the concept of religious freedom in the United States.
In his book, Hasson demystified the long held view that the first pilgrims that came to America had escaped from elsewhere because they were seeking refuge in areas that would allow them to freely practice their faith (1). He was of the opinion that while this was the view, these individuals were only interested in one thing, land, and they would use the law as they pleased to bend the ethics of those that did not agree with them. Looking at his explanations, it can be argued that the same was still being used by religious groups of the day to gain favors by being exempted from legislations that other individuals and groups were expected to adhere to. This has resulted in the enactment of laws that have sought to exempt some groups from observing laws that are applicable to everyone else that does not fall within the bracket of the groups that have been exempted. One such legislation was the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act; a legislation that exempted individuals whose practice of their faith was being burdened by existing laws (Koppelman and Gedicks 224). This law thus allowed individuals to practice their religious faith except in cases where the government could prove …show more content…
Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.,” was a case that enjoined two other cases. The two initial cases at the center of this issue were “Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.,” and “Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation v. Sebelius”. The cases were conjoined under “Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc.,” after the 2014 appointment of Sylvia Burwell to the office of health and human services. She was the secretary. The cases, which were filed in 2012, were initially referred to as Sebelius as this was the then secretary to the same office that Burwell later held. The plaintiffs in this case were David Green, Barbara Green and their children.

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Burwell V. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.: Article Analysis

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