The "choice" issue, at least for me, is not about being a neo-atheist, since I am not one. The issues here is seems is that the student does have "choice" to not do the mission. As I understand it not all Mormons do; and no one has answered the question as to the timing of the mission. MUST he do it at a certain age. If not, then there is a great deal of choice. He can choose to go to college and then do the mission. He can choose to do the mission and then go to college. I assume, for example, that Mormons attend West Point or the other service academies and that they do not leave school for a year to do a mission.
Try this, suppose instead of being in regular university the student was at a service academy and therefore a member of the military -- which is a choice. And then asks for a leave to go on a mission. Suppose he is not a student but enlists at 17 or 18, serves until 19 and as he is about to be shipped to Iraq says I need a leave for a year. I don't think he gets it and I don't see how that would be a necessary accommodation of religious practice. I have never suggested people are "irrational" in their belief and I find David's suggestion that I have to be way over the top. Paul Finkelman President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law and Public Policy Albany Law School 80 New Scotland Avenue Albany, New York 12208-3494 518-445-3386 [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 09/05/07 9:41 AM >>> It does seem to me that one of the most compelling arguments in favor of religious freedom is the recognition that religious belief is not simply a matter of choice--like deciding whether or not to join a fraternity or sorority. As Calvin and Paul suggested, it is a product of grace. That does not mean that people of faith are irrational with respect to the theology that grows out of that belief, it does mean that faith touches something much deeper and more profound. That said, I think the evangelical fervor displayed by the neo-atheists (as E.J. Dionne so aptly labels them) demonstrates that this religious connection can attach to a materialist ideology as well as a transcendentalist one. The mistake Harris and company make is in thinking that their choices are purely rational and that everyone should believe exactly as they do. (Sounds like some religious fundamentalists to me.) In this sense, I think the issue does touch significantly on religion and law. David From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 08:58:10 -0400Subject: Re: "Mormon Student, Justice, ACLU Join Up"To: religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu I'd welcome an on-list discussion of this matter, with Eugene's permission of course.Bobby Robert Justin LipkinProfessor of LawWidener University School of LawDelawareRatio Juris, Contributor: http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/Essentially Contested America, Editor-In-Chief http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/ Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com. _________________________________________________________________ Discover the new Windows Vista http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE _______________________________________________ To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others.