Christians Have No Right to Wear Crucifixes at Work, Says UK

The British government is primed and ready to argue a case in European court over the right of Christians to wear crucifixes and other similar religious paraphernalia in the workplace. Christians have no legal right whatsoever to wear such religious symbols at work, say British officials.

In what is considered a landmark legal battle, Britain’s government announced its intentions to side against two women who allege that they were either laid-off or pushed to the sidelines over their decision to to wear Christian symbols at their place of work. Nadia Eweida, a British Airways employee, and Shirley Chaplin, a nurse, are the two women fighting for religious freedom against government lawyers once the case hits the European Court of Human Rights.

The Court will make the call on whether the right to wear a cross is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Article 9 states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

British officials are saying that wearing a cross is not a “requirement of faith,” whilst lawyers on the other side of the case say that requirements don’t matter: crucifixes “manifest” faith, so they’re protected. As in many cases, this fight is actually part of an older fight: one between British officials and Christian leaders over a dicier topic – gay marriage – which Prime Minister David Cameron openly supports.

No matter how you pick-and-choose your feelings on religious tolerance, this has to ruffle your feathers if you’re one for religious freedom.

Does the government have a case? Does the defense?