The Right to Refuse Based on Religious Beliefs

67 year-old Dutch civil servant Wim Pijl was fired recently in The Hague (Den Haag) for refusing to perform same-sex marriages.  Pijl cites his Christian beliefs as the reason.  “As a Christian, I learned from the Bible that there is only one marriage, between a man and a woman.”

The Hague city government dismissed Pijl because he “refused to take back his remarks.”  Pijl, one of 104 known Dutch civil servants who refuse to perform same-sex marriages, says he may take civil action against the city.

The Netherlands was the first country (2001)to legalize gay marriage.  The prime minister has guaranteed that same-sex marriages will be available coutrywide.

The issue brings into sharp focus the conflict between governmental policies and the right of government employees to refuse to act in ways which would violate their religious beliefs.  The same issue has begun to arise in the United States where the discussion is about whether physicians may refuse to perform abortions.

In the United States a person may, based on their religious belief, refuse in court to "swear on the Bible."  They are allowed instead to promise to tell the truth.  I believe that the same principle should apply in the cases above.  Surely a way short of dismissal can be found to accommodate legitimate religious objections. 

http://www.cip.nl/nieuwsbericht_detail.asp?id=25595 

http://www.persecution.org/2011/11/18/dutch-christian-civil-servant-fired-for-opposing-gay-marriage/