How Far Is Too Far?

I try not to follow the news. I find that it's mostly useless information that feeds the fears of the weak minded and uninformed. But it's been hard to ignore the hoopla over the case of a certain craft supply chain and its religious rights.
Let me start by saying that I believe in freedom of religion. I think that people should have the rights and freedoms to practice (or NOT practice) whatever faiths they choose.
But even more strongly than that, I believe in the separation of church and state. Religion and politics should be like oil and water. But let's be honest... they are more like water and salt. Dissolving into one another until it's difficult to separate the two. Our country has long been run by religion in one form or another. Politicians have been bought and paid for by the church and its supporters since the earliest of times. This is fact. But we ignore it mostly, because it doesn't directly effect us. But how far is too far? When do we stop and really take notice of how intertwined religion has become in the making of guidelines, rules, and laws? Is it when YOUR religious beliefs are effected?
I spent nearly a year working for a man who was a practicing Scientologist. He required that his entire staff take part in those practices. We even agreed to it. We just didn't know it at the time. When we filled out our employment paperwork, there was one form that had a quote about hard work, and self improvement. On this form it stated that we would be required to take part in "training days" where we would learn new techniques and skills to help improve the business. We had to sign this form agreeing to attend. We all did. Months later, when my first "training day" arrived, I  quickly learned that instead of business skills, I was being taught Scientology. Albeit, in a loosely disguised manner, but Scientology all the same. When I brought this to my immediate boss' attention, I was told that I was made aware of this and had signed my agreement to it. The quote on the form I signed had been by L. Ron Hubbard (founder of Scientology) and apparently I should have automatically known what that implied. When I stated that I was uncomfortable with these courses, and would rather not participate. I was told that by refusing to take part, I was voluntarily resigning. In other words, I was being forced to practice something against my will. After talking to other staff members, I discovered that we had no legal leg to stand on either. Some of them had contacted attorneys, and were told that by signing that simple piece of paper, we had essentially signed away our rights.
Now, personally, I'm not a religious individual. I could do the "training" and remain unaffected by it. But that wasn't the case for everyone. In fact, one of my co-workers had an especially difficult time. She had been raised in a strict Christian household, and had immense guilt over taking part. But she also had a family to support, and needed her job.
When I heard about the ruling made in the recent craft store case, I couldn't help but feel bad for the employees of that company. When you accept a job, you agree to the rules of that company, assuming they are in place for safety, efficiency, etc. You would never assume that those rules would impede upon your rights, religious or otherwise. The religion of the owners of a company, especially one as large as that, should never be forced upon an employee. That chain is not a church, it is not a non profit, it is a business. It exists to make money. The employees pay taxes just like anyone else, and they are entitled to their freedoms, and ALL of their freedoms, just as much as anyone else. It's easy to say "Well if they don't like it, they should work somewhere else." but that is not always possible, nor is it logical.
I understand that the owner's religion doesn't agree with birth control. Fine, then don't get it. But do you get to decide that for everyone else? What if suddenly your boss decided that he no longer agreed with the idea of lunch? And so he banned you from eating lunch? How would you feel?
Life is filled with things that we won't all like and agree with. That doesn't mean that we get to tell someone else that they have to dislike it also.
Instead of applauding this company for "beating the government", maybe you should take a moment and think about the people this decision effected. Like the woman who suffers from painful endometriosis, and takes birth control to reduce the symptoms. Or the young girl with a family history of ovarian cancer who takes it to reduce her risk. And without insurance, neither of them can afford it. So for all their religious arguments, where's the one about not doing harm to others?
When common sense, logic, and basic decency are clouded by religion, and the government supports that... this will only be the first domino to fall....