When the anti-LGBTQ legislation American Republicans championed in Arizona and Kansas, bill SB 1062, was rightfully rescinded, they quickly went on the offence. Bereft of allies due to their self-righteous “us against the world” mentality, these conservative thinkers lashed out against the Obama administration and social Liberals who they perceive as equally fascistic and morally decadent. Not onboard with their Judeo-Christian utopia/ America? Then you despise freedom itself.

The Arizona bill was “never about ‘discrimination’,” claimed Matt Barber for CNSNews.com — “it’s about liberty.” The liberty for Christian businesses to “[decline] their God-given time and talent to create goods and services that require they violate deeply held — and constitutionally protected — religious beliefs.” This is the crux of the argument. These people aren’t racists or homophobes, but they should be allowed their bigotry because freedom is messy, and this is ‘Murrica, man!

This willy-nilly mis-association of religious “morals” and political ideology was thrown in starker relief when CPAC, a Conservative super-conference, initially granted a booth to American Atheists (AA) before withdrawing it hours after being attacked by other members. But why? AA is a group that advocates reduced government, debt reduction and business friendly pay-as-you-go economic policies. They’re Conservatives. So why the complaints? Why did Brent Bozell, President of the Conservative Media Research Centre, label the invitation extended to AA “an attack on conservative principles [. . .and] God himself”?

What would Conservatives do if atheist business owners began rejecting their business?

David Silverman, President of American Atheists, explained in an interview with CNN that he wanted to question the ridiculous notion that political Conservatism ought to be tied to religion. “The Christian Right should be angry that we are going in to enlighten Conservatives,” he crowed. Apart from smugness, he broke no Commandments. Did God really like Atlas Shrugged? Surely he has better things to do than huff at CPAC’s inclusion of atheists?

Freedom of religious expression is an absolute — it enshrines an individual’s right to be. However, guaranteeing space to express one’s individuality through art, expression or sexuality is equally valid. Protesting that Christianity is under attack is the Religious Right’s newest deconstructive effort at being allowed to palatably legislate their archaism.

Legislative protection of bigotry and divisive individual politics is what this is, and it’s not healthy for society. If we embrace such anarchism, then what’s the impetus to build nations? Or offer government subsidized housing? Or tax rebates for small businesses? Legislative iniquities breed a corrosive environment. Conservatives such as those behind SB 1062 love to bandy ideas like forcing Christians to serve homosexual couples is equivalent to forcing an African-American owned photocopying business to print KKK fliers. But these Conservative-backed bills aren’t about protecting individual rights to expression or freedom. They protect Hate.

Religious faith carries no weight in constructing political policy, nor does ensuring religious freedoms mandate entrenchment of anti-social mandates. What would Conservatives do if atheist business owners began rejecting their business? What if we allowed ultra-orthodox Muslim cab drivers to refuse to serve single, unescorted women? Social conservatism is a flatly obnoxious sham that pantomimes individual beliefs as universal virtues.

Religion is a deeply profound interpersonal connection with God. It belongs in the private sphere. Let’s keep it there.