Monthly Archives: March 2022

Europe advances crypto-coin regulation without potential ban on Bitcoin – The Register

Posted: March 17, 2022 at 2:15 am

Europe's lawmakers this week moved ahead with their proposed cryptocurrency regulations, having ditched a rule that might have banned financial services from dealing in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The European Union is considering ways to regulate digital coins, particularly to stamp out money laundering, and as such in 2020 drew up a draft framework dubbed the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) to achieve this. During the development of this red tape, an amendment was proposed that, depending on its interpretation, could have made it illegal for app and web services to handle transactions involving proof-of-work coins, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Proof-of-work algorithms underpin these cryptocurrencies, how they are mined, and how transactions are confirmed by the network. These algorithms have been criticized for being computationally intensive and consuming large amounts of energy, prompting some lawmakers to propose restrictions. Under the European Green Deal, member states are trying to slash greenhouse gas emissions, and are heavily scrutinizing activities like running proof-of-work algorithms.

Specifically, the amendment would have outlawed, by 2025, the crafting and trading of cryptocurrencies within the European Union if they used "environmentally unsustainable consensus mechanisms." The coins could be exchanged as normal if they met some "minimum environmental sustainability standards," which crypto-fans took to mean: proof-of-work mining is out.

The consequences would have touched every corner of the crypto ecosystem from miners to exchanges, and custodians to traders

Restricting use of this code would have been disastrous for the likes of Bitcoin and Ethereum, all but preventing cryptocurrency businesses and netizens from mining and exchanging the digital assets. Newer cryptocurrencies use proof-of-stake algorithms that are less computationally demanding. Bitcoin and Ethereum, however, still run on proof-of-work.

At the start of March, MEP Stefan Berger, a member of the center-right European People's Party Group, confirmed the rule restricting the use of proof-of-work algorithms had been deleted from a revision of the proposed MiCA. Days earlier he said he didn't want people to misinterpret the amendment as a ban on proof-of-work, and a vote on the framework due to be held late February was postponed to straighten out the issue.

On Monday this week, the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee voted 31 to four, with 23 abstentions, to adopt the MiCA text without the controversial amendment as its position, and voted 33 to 25 to move the framework into negotiations with member state governments to form the final version of the law bill.

Ian Taylor, executive director at CryptoUK, an independent cryptocurrency trade association, told The Register the proposed rule "would have meant a de facto EU ban on Bitcoin and Ethereum."

"If the amendment to MiCA, which proposes an overarching view on crypto regulation across 27 member states, had been voted through, the consequences would have touched every corner of the crypto ecosystem from miners to exchanges, and custodians to traders," he said. "It is like trying to ban the internet because it takes up 70 percent of phone line bandwidth."

Berger, who is championing the MiCA, said the draft framework will pave the way for an "innovation-friendly" set of crypto-coin standards worldwide.

"The regulation being created is pioneering in terms of innovation, consumer protection, legal certainty and the establishment of reliable supervisory structures in the field of crypto-assets. Many countries around the world will now take a close look at MiCA," he said in a statement.

Go here to see the original:
Europe advances crypto-coin regulation without potential ban on Bitcoin - The Register

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Europe advances crypto-coin regulation without potential ban on Bitcoin – The Register

Want to Get Richer? 1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Right Now Without Hesitation – The Motley Fool

Posted: at 2:15 am

Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's longtime right-hand man, recently predicted that over the next 100 years, inflation will cause fiat currency (that is, government-issued currency) to plummet to zero. Munger's track record speaks for itself, so people tend to listen whenever he has something to say about markets or the economy.

These comments are noteworthy given the current economic environment, with soaring inflation grabbing headlines and hurting consumers' pockets. But from an investment perspective, people have a worthwhile option in front of them to place a bet with Munger's comments in mind.

It's the world's top cryptocurrency, an asset that he has publicly eschewed. But I think that if you're looking for the opportunity to build life-changing wealth, then you should seriously consider Bitcoin ( BTC -0.02% ).

Cryptocurrencies can no longer be ignored by investors. And Bitcoin in particular, with its decade-plus history, is cementing itself as a smart place to park your money.

Institutional investors, such as ARK Invest, are extremely bullish on Bitcoin. And corporations like Block, MicroStrategy, and Tesla have even converted some cash on their balance sheets to the cryptocurrency. With the introduction of secure and seamless connections between the traditional financial system and the crypto economy, like Coinbase Global'sPrime offering, it is easy for entities to gain exposure to the burgeoning asset class.

Then there is the potential for real utility. Other nations could follow El Salvador in making Bitcoin legal tender within their borders. And the massive global remittance market, at approximately $500 billion, is ripe for disruption due to slow processing times and high fees. Again, bitcoin could be the solution.

Although future returns might not resemble the past, I believe there is a material chance that Bitcoin continues beating the market in the years ahead.

Inflation, spurred by the ultra-loose monetary policy since the Great Recession, is a key component of modern capitalism, as it encourages consumers to spend. And this is what Charlie Munger was alluding to.

Bitcoin, on the contrary, is characterized by absolute finiteness. There will only ever be 21 million coins in circulation, and this is based on computer code that can't be tampered with. A situation like this is in stark contrast to fiat currency.

Image source: Getty Images.

With inflation reaching record levels in recent months, the concept of Bitcoin as a hedge against rising prices is coming under intense scrutiny. Add in heightened geopolitical risk, and investors would expect safe-haven assets, like gold, to receive a boost. This situation has played out, as the precious metal is up about 8% this year. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is down 19% in 2022 as of March 8. But it's worthwhile to zoom out and gain a better understanding of the true goal of investing.

It is not a smart idea to jump in and out of asset classes on a short-term basis simply because of certain macroeconomic events. The goal of investing, which is a long-term game (at least five years in the future), is essentially to increase your purchasing power over time. This simple fact is why holding cash is such a poor financial decision over a longer time frame. Inflation eats away at its purchasing value.

With this framework in mind, it's strikingly clear that Bitcoin crushes gold in terms of real wealth creation.Over the past five years, the price of an ounce of gold has risen just 60% (as of March 8), while Bitcoin has skyrocketed more than 3,200% during the same time. Undoubtedly, anything can happen in a given month, quarter, or even year. But over a longer period, Bitcoin is the clear winner.

Even with the extreme volatility that investors would need to endure, Bitcoin makes for a solid addition to a well-diversified portfolio. And although Charlie Munger has publicly condemned digital assets, his comments about inflation and the diminishing value of traditional currencies should lead investors right to Bitcoin.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis even one of our own helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

Excerpt from:
Want to Get Richer? 1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Right Now Without Hesitation - The Motley Fool

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Want to Get Richer? 1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Right Now Without Hesitation – The Motley Fool

Cryptocurrency payments are accepted the most by the travel industry, adoption study shows – Yahoo News

Posted: at 2:15 am

Bitcoin vs. EthereumAlain Pitton/NurPhoto via Getty Images and Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Travel companies, fast-food chains and dating sites are leading the adoption of crypto payments, said Traders of Crypto.

Expedia, McDonald's and OkCupid are among large companies showing themselves open to crypto, according to a study.

But crypto adoption is still in its infancy with payments usually limited to bitcoin and ethereum.

The travel services industry and fast-food chains are among those leading the widening acceptance of cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services, research released Tuesday showed.

Of the top 10 crypto-friendly industries, travel is number one, with 11.5% of the companies in that sector accepting the digital assets, according to a study conducted by Traders of Crypto. E-Commerce is second at 11.06%, while non-profits and charities are third at 9.13%.

Meanwhile, fast-food chains including Burger King, institutions of higher education, and sports teams are among other large companies and entities acting as early adopters of cryptocurrencies.

The broadening acceptance "reflects a huge shift in public perception of crypto, with its value finally being realized by consumers and businesses alike," Traders of Crypto said in a note.

The cryptocurrency research website jumpstarted its study by combing through a variety of general and specialty news sites to create a list of companies that accept cryptocurrency.

"However, the adoption of crypto is still in its infancy, and the majority of digital tokens accepted by businesses tends to be limited to Bitcoin and one or two other leading cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum," it said.

The travel sector has been "quick to recognize" the growing demand for crypto-payment availability, with Expedia leading the way in allowing customers to pay for hotel bookings using bitcoin. Airlines including AirBaltic, Norwegian Air, and LOT Polish Airlines also moved to take crypto as payment.

Burger King and McDonald's are among several of the world's biggest fast-food companies that have started experimenting with payments in crypto, the study showed. Burger King has run trials in Germany, the Netherlands, and Venezuela. McDonald's is working on it in El Salvador the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender and chicken chain KFC has been experimenting in Canada.

Story continues

Portuguese soccer club Benfica's acceptance of bitcoin and ethereum for fan merchandise made it an early adopter in the sports world. In US professional sports, the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Dolphins, San Jose Earthquakes in soccer, and San Jose Sharks in hockey include crypto as payment options.

"[Even] our love lives have been penetrated by the unstoppable tide of progress," with dating site OkCupid accepting bitcoin payments as early as 2013, Traders of Crypto said. OkCupid is run by Match Group. Badoo and Luxy are other dating sites that accept crypto payments, it said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Visit link:
Cryptocurrency payments are accepted the most by the travel industry, adoption study shows - Yahoo News

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Cryptocurrency payments are accepted the most by the travel industry, adoption study shows – Yahoo News

Cryptocurrency Scamming – How To Spot? Hometown Station – KHTS Radio

Posted: at 2:15 am

Since people are unsuccessful in identifying hackers locations, it is imperative to know about the procedures to solve the puzzle of criminal activities in your account. The most famous incident took place two years back when an individual from the United States started using cryptocurrency for every investment. He effectively takes the benefits of the accounted value in his digital wallet. He had a total of Bitcoin of 15.5 million USD dollars, which he paid by earning from his hard work job. According to him, his partial investment in cryptocurrency and half in retirement was a successful plan. However, one day before his most significant investment in physical property in the real estate business, he received an email with detailed information about his transactions asking him to submit his private key for security purposes.

The man did not pay much attention to the email and reverted it by mentioning his necessary code. After 10 minutes, he realized that ended his endless efforts in making 15.5 million dollars. For the next few seconds, he did not realize what happened in 10 minutes that his digital wallet account was Nil. After Consulting with the Crypto exchange https://bitcoinmillionairepro.org/, he understood that the email was never sent by the exchange platform but by a professional hacker. Crypto exchange platform made him understand the illegal staff people do to have the account. During the conversation with the Crypto exchange, he understood the importance of keeping private information safe. The Crypto exchange also advises them about its further engagement with emails.

Cryptocurrencies have high-tech support, but it does not apply when professional hackers with sound Technology try to fool innocent people. Cryptocurrency from their side keeps the security enclosure, but if the individual does something out of the blue, it is not on the head of the Crypto platform for Coins. Cryptocurrency farming was a common point in the past; however, it is not so common because of the new technology that keeps the digital asset in the safest column.

If you feel that danger is crossing your digital wallet, it is essential to address the possibilities with the Crypto exchange. However, if you are a professional investor and know the tricks and tips about saving a digital account, you can do it yourself.

Usually, such common hacking problems are noticed in the latest developed cryptocurrencies, which are not reformed completely. However, digital money such as Bitcoin does not have common interference of hackers because Cryptography Technology precisely looks after the digital unit 24 x 7.

Meanwhile, the everyday hacking activity is coming forward towards your digital payment wallet that changes your secret key code or does not share your information with anyone.

Cryptocurrency danger comes with numerous ideas, such as a fake exchange. The first way of making the emergency of cryptocurrency hacking is by creating a fake exchange website. Usually, the newcomers do not know about the fake exchange site. For instance, the Crypto exchange in Korea with the most significant trading was found fake after one year. It resulted in the wastage of more than 10 million dollars of individuals.

Another way to identify your improved security is through connecting with the support team. But unfortunately, every Crypto exchange team provides you with unnecessary details of the Crypto wallet and tries to take your confidential information and verify it again. Usually, email messages are the best way to borrow the users information as it is the direct communication with the online investor.

These days fake application on the Google stores of Crypto wallet is widespread. The scammers have developed a new way of describing their unethical activity. First, they try to convince the individual to install the application on the phone and create the trust to share the confidential information. After the individual puts the information in the application will check the balance of the cryptocurrency wallet. And after 10 to 20 minutes of applying, they exchange that digital unit from the wallet.

These are a few ways through which the joint activity of cryptocurrency scamming occurs. Therefore, every educated individual shouldnt install any dangerous and fraudulent application.

Read this article:
Cryptocurrency Scamming - How To Spot? Hometown Station - KHTS Radio

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Cryptocurrency Scamming – How To Spot? Hometown Station – KHTS Radio

Cryptocurrency Decentraland’s Price Increased More Than 4% Within 24 hours – Benzinga – Benzinga

Posted: at 2:15 am

Decentralands (CRYPTO: MANA) price has increased 4.65% over the past 24 hours to $2.38, which is in the opposite direction of its trend over the past week, where it has experienced a 5.0% loss, moving from $2.49 to its current price. As it stands right now, the coins all-time high is $5.85.

The chart below compares the price movement and volatility for Decentraland over the past 24 hours (left) to its price movement over the past week (right). The gray bands are bollinger bands, measuring the volatility for both the daily and weekly price movements. The wider the bands are, or the larger the gray area is at any given moment, the larger the volatility.

The trading volume for the coin has climbed 36.0% over the past week, moving opposite, directionally, with the overall circulating supply of the coin, which has decreased 0.53%. This brings the circulating supply to 1.51 billion, which makes up an estimated 68.88% of its max supply of 2.19 billion. According to our data, the current market cap ranking for MANA is #35 at $3.54 billion.

Powered by CoinGecko API

This post contains affiliate links from which Benzinga may earn a commission.

This article was generated by Benzingas automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Read more:
Cryptocurrency Decentraland's Price Increased More Than 4% Within 24 hours - Benzinga - Benzinga

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Cryptocurrency Decentraland’s Price Increased More Than 4% Within 24 hours – Benzinga – Benzinga

3 Myths Of Bitcoin And Other Participating Cryptocurrency Hometown Station – KHTS Radio

Posted: at 2:15 am

The massive explosion and acceptance of digital currency is the main route of encountering popularity. Digital units are available for public transactions, and the history of exchange is not modified. Cryptocurrencies are familiar with the business, and the immense vogue of Bitcoin is many time subjects to myth and misconceptions. There are always rumors about popular NFT System and Creations. Of course, purchasing the coin and doubts about vulnerability is a concern of millions. But until and unless new things are not tried and read in detail, the person never reaches the platform they deserve.

Every successful man is achieving the dream today because of the risk taken in the past. Confirming a successful tag becomes major when the risky path is taken over with complete guidance and detailed knowledge. However, in the case of cryptocurrency, the risk is the rumors created in the market to deprive people of the digital unit. However, rumors are like a water vapor that evaporates or ends when touched. Typically people are dead deep inside the myth and widespread rumors of cryptocurrencies to find whether they are true or not.

Key Takeaways

Myth 1

Crowdfunding Is A Legal In Cryptocurrency Business.

Raising funds from outside the world and people is not legal by any currency. There are no subjective rights given to traditional money to raise funds and help people suffering from irregular funding. Bitcoin also has the same existence and policies of providing the people with web collection of electronic money. Digitalization has brought investors worldwide to perform the legal activities of helping others in requirement. The mainstream cryptocurrency satisfies peoples needs, and the elasticity of supply buy Bitcoin has tremendously built a legal system for everyone.

Moreover, digital coins serve as a financial element in the economic sector with minimum transaction charges and massive contributions to legal projects. Privacy during crowdfunding is double interested with secure privatized coin.

Myth 2

Bitcoin Does Not Have Exact Value

It is Math because Bitcoin has a value expected near 57000 Dollars, and shortly, it will go beyond 100000 dollars. Without significant value, market capitalization can never be formed in trillions. If the currency does not have value, it means the massive lifespan of the currency is shorter term. Precious metal such as gold also has value, and it is prominent due to their expensive nature and popularity among the people. Likewise, the digital unit has also acquired a marketplace and reliable value during the launch and popularity. Henceforth acquiring bitcoin or ethereum will facilitate the massive application of content and value.

Myth 3

Bitcoin Is Lagging In Security

Lacking security to buy Bitcoin blockchain does not exist in real-time. It is a rumor because the double signature security and the Bitcoin network have cryptographic technology, a pure digital security and insurance combination. Bitcoin has never experienced failure in the transaction, and the possibilities of hacking are lagging in the currency. Moreover, the simplest form of the store in currency is subscribing to a digital wallet provided by the Bitcoin system. The fun part about Bitcoins digital wallet is that it is connected with the internet and has multiple options of eliminating broadband.

Final Verdict

Rumors are given fuel, especially by the government, to decline the power of transactions. However, intelligent investors dont waste their energy on waste information. They are going strong with trading.

Read more:
3 Myths Of Bitcoin And Other Participating Cryptocurrency Hometown Station - KHTS Radio

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on 3 Myths Of Bitcoin And Other Participating Cryptocurrency Hometown Station – KHTS Radio

JasmyCoin price prediction: Can the cryptocurrency hit $0.10?… – The US Sun

Posted: at 2:15 am

VOLATILITY has continued for many cryptocurrencies including JasmyCoin this year but some are wondering where the price will wind up.

In the past 24 hours, JasmyCoin has dropped 1% to $0.01739, according toCoinMarketCap.

1

Year-to-date, the cryptocurrency is down 80%.

Across the board, manycryptocurrenciesare down this year includingBitcoin, as inflation and theRussia-Ukraine warhave spooked investors away.

Volatility is just one risk of investing in cryptocurrencies.

Another risk is the complexity that could come with cryptocurrencies. In other words, you shouldnt invest in anything you dont understand.

To avoid this, make sure you read company whitepapers, news reports, and other pieces of related information before buying.

Firstly, know that Tokyo, Japan-based company Jasmy Corp., an Internet-of-Things (IoT) provider, runs JasmyCoin.

In particular, Jasmys business model relates to buying and selling data.

Jasmy is led by former Sony executives including Kunitake Ando, and Kazumasa Sato.

According to the companys RoadMap, itallowsJasmyCoin holders to use personal data Jasmys platform.

Under the Jasmy platform, data only belongs to the user and they can decide how to use it as opposed to the service provider.

Meanwhile, service providers can send rewards to users in exchange for their personal data.

Jasmy will hope this will create a market and drive up the value of its coin.

As the number of service providers increases, services will expand, and data value will increase in a multiplier fashion through the addition and combination of data, Jasmy wrote.

Moreover, Jasmy aims to provide a marketplace that exchanges data securely.

Given the recent volatility, it will be tough to predict when exactly cryptocurrencies including JasmyCoin will end.

But investor and entrepreneur Shanka Jayasinha thinks that another bull run in the crypto markets could start in April.

This is "due to the restrictions free flowing assets thanks to the current geopolitical events as much as it can stay at this price level because of them and other potential regulatory measures," Mr Jayasinha said.

Assuming the market and project is "solid," Mr Jayasinha added that JasmyCoin could be "priced between 2 & 3 cents."

Meanwhile, coin forecasting websites including Wallet Investor have provided price predictions for JasmyCoin.

For example,Wallet Investorpredicts that the price will rise to $0.0424 a year from now. In five years, it sees the prices jumping to $0.131.

DigitalCoinPriceis a little less bullish, forecasting the price of JasmyCoin to be worth only $0.0222 on average in 2022.

In 2027, it expects the price average to inch up to $0.0392.

To hit $0.10, JamsyCoin would have to jump by 475% from its current trading levels.

For more related news to cryptocurrencies, we explainwhether or not governments can ban them.

Weve done price predictions onTezos,Bitcoin,Ethereum,Dogecoin,Shiba Inu, andSandbox.

Plus, a crypto scam recently involved a userlosing $300,000 worth of Bitcoinafter thinking she'd found love on a dating app.

We pay for your stories!

Do you have a story for The US Sun team?

Read the original post:
JasmyCoin price prediction: Can the cryptocurrency hit $0.10?... - The US Sun

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on JasmyCoin price prediction: Can the cryptocurrency hit $0.10?… – The US Sun

Top Cryptocurrency Prices: BTC and Tether Rise, While SOL Dives More – Analytics Insight

Posted: at 2:15 am

Analytics Insight enlists the top cryptocurrency prices for today

Cryptocurrencies are now considered as digital gold, largely due to their secure and private investment techniques, and also their freedom from political influence. Apart from their value as advanced payment mechanisms, cryptocurrencies have provided investors and speculators access to a dynamic and fast-changing market. Apart from Bitcoin, there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies that serve different purposes, sometimes yielding vast amounts of profits, while diving deep causing huge financial losses. In this article, Analytics Insight enlists the top cryptocurrency prices for March 15, 2022.

Bitcoin (BTC): US$38,793.54 (up by 0.71%)

Ethereum (ETH): US$2,547.66 (down by 0.83%)

Tether (USDT): US$1.00 (down by 0.00%)

BNB (BNB): US$366.97 (down by 0.47%)

USD Coin (USDC): US$0.9993 (down by 0.07%)

XRP (XRP): US$0.7608 (down by 0.82%)

Terra (LUNA): US$93.26 (up by 3.40%)

Cardano (ADA): US$0.7926 (down by 1.48%)

Solana (SOL): US$79.80 (down by 0.64%)

Binance USD (BUSD): US$0.9983 (down by 0.08%)

According to coinmarketcap, the global crypto market cap is standing at US$1.73T, with an increase of 0.09% over the last day.

Share This ArticleDo the sharing thingy

About AuthorMore info about author

Read more here:
Top Cryptocurrency Prices: BTC and Tether Rise, While SOL Dives More - Analytics Insight

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Top Cryptocurrency Prices: BTC and Tether Rise, While SOL Dives More – Analytics Insight

The Right Wing Slant on Religious Freedom is a Slippery Slope – Religion Dispatches

Posted: at 2:13 am

Christian Right legislation that has often seemed to be aimed at undermining or rolling back LGBTQ rights in the name of religious freedom, has also often been about much more. This has become particularly clear in state legislation affecting adoption and foster care. The very meaning of religious freedom is at stake and the definitional battle lines become clearer with every passing controversy.

The most recent dispute is the result of legislation signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee in 2020. The law allows state-funded child-placement agencies to decline to facilitate cases that would violate the agencys written religious or moral convictions or policies.

It took only two years for a Jewish couple to be denied adoption services by a state-funded Christian child-placement agency that resulted in a lawsuit.

The complaint, filed by Americans United for Church and State on behalf of Elizabeth and Gabriel Rutan-Ram, says that state funding of child-placement agencies that discriminate against prospective or current foster parents based on the religious beliefs of the parents violates the Tennessee Constitution.

The slippery slope

The legislation is a slippery slopeand the slope extends far beyond matters of LGBTQ equality that have received the most attention. While the courts have yet to settle the matter of where religious freedom ends and discrimination begins, Tennessee was not the first such instance of religious discrimination by a child-placement agency.

In 2019, USA Today reported on Aimee Maddonna a Catholic woman who was denied the opportunity to volunteer at a state-funded evangelical agency in South Carolina. She had hoped to use the experience to learn what it would take to become an adoptive parent. But that was not to be.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State now represents four families who were turned away by taxpayer-funded foster care agencies because they didnt share the agencies religious beliefs. In addition to the above cases, Church & State magazine reports that AU has also taken on the cases of Kelly Easter in Tennessee and Fatma Marouf and Bryn Esplin in Texas [who each] wanted to provide foster homes for refugee children, but they were refused service by taxpayer-funded agencies working under federal contracts because the women are LGBTQ.

All of the cases involve the use of state or federal funds. When the Tennessee bill was introduced, Pam Kelner, the executive director of Jewish Family Services told The Tennessean, If youre raising your funds privately you have the right to decide who youre going to serve and not going to serve. When it gets to programs that are publicly fundedthat oversteps the separation of church and state.

Her words proved to be prophetic.

Its infuriating to learn our tax dollars are funding discrimination against us, Gabriel Rutan-Ram said. If an agency is getting tax money to provide a service, then everyone should be servedit shouldnt matter whether youre Jewish, Catholic or an atheist. Were all citizens of Tennessee, regardless of our religion.

Defenders of the bill deny that its discrimination to deny anyone service who doesnt conform to their doctrines. Bradley Williams, president of the formerly Methodist-affiliated, Holston United Methodist Home for Children said in a statement quoted in The New York Times, that the agency is committed to Christian biblical principles and places children with families that agree with our statement of faith.

We view the caregivers we partner with as extensions of our ministry team serving children, Williams continued. So from the very beginning, we seek to find alignment with them, and if we cannot do so, we try to help them find an agency that may be a better fit.

Project Blitz: The marketing agency

The Tennessee bill happens to closely resemble a model bill, called the Child Protection Act, which has been distributed by Project Blitz, a Christian Right state legislative campaign first reported on here at RD. (Project Blitz has lowered its profile, but remains active and is monitored by Blitz Watch.)

The sponsor of the bill denied to The Tennessean that it was based on the Project Blitz model, claiming instead that it was based on Virginia legislation from 2012. In fact, parts of the Virginia bill and the Tennessee bills are identical while the Project Blitz models language is somewhat different but the same in intent. The Project Blitz playbook includes, however, links to the extant state legislation on which they based their model billincluding Virginias. So its possible that Tennessee got the Virginia language via Project Blitz. There may be similar stories elsewhere too, since Project Blitz has functioned as a legislative marketing mechanism on this and a host of Dominionist-driven Christian nationalist legislation in recent years.

Project Blitz has always sought to craft their model bills from the most successful versions of Christian Right legislationproposed as well as passed. The Project Blitz playbooks specifically cite acts already on the books from which they drew to craft their models. The 2017-18 manual states, regarding the model Child Protection Act:

The model act borrows from several acts designed to strengthen and protect child placement options.

The manual lists state laws from Alabama, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and of course, Virginia. The most recent available Project Blitz manual (exposed by RD in 2021) adds Kansas and Oklahoma to the list of states that have adopted similar legislation.

The title of the Project Blitz model bill has since been changed to the Child Welfare Maximization Act, perhaps in an effort to underscore that adoptive and foster care children are in need of maximum protection from LGBTQ people, Catholics, and Jews.

One of the political talking points intended for legislators, that accompanies the model bill in the playbook, claims, This act is designed to strengthen child placement options in a pluralistic culture. Theres certainly nothing pluralist about excluding people of other faiths. But just as with religious freedom, that may be a matter of who gets to define it.

Whats wrong with this picture?

The growing departure from historical, common sense understandings of the meaning of religious freedom is on vivid display in the Tennessee case. Outside of the legislature and the courtroom, the contour of the public debate is more like this:

One side is epitomized in an op-ed by Todd E. Brady, vice president for university ministries at the Southern Baptist-affiliated Union University, which appeared in the local Jackson Sun.

I realize that there are some who say that religious liberty (protecting a person or organizations freedom to operate according to their convictions) is merely a guise for discrimination. This kind of thinking, though, is misguided. Proponents of religious liberty do not want to treat others badly. They simply want the freedom to act in accordance with their conviction. A personal conviction is not the same thing as an attack of discrimination.

Personal conviction, as Brady would have it, of course, doesnt give us the right to exempt ourselves from the laws protecting the rights of all. Or at least it shouldnt.

But the Tennessee legislation allows state funds to go to institutions that refuse to provide state-funded services to people whose sexual orientation and/or religion they disapprove of. That means that all taxpayers, of all religious traditions and none, are required to underwrite the personal conviction of those who refuse to conform to the letter and spirit of the state and federal constitution.

A traditional and common sense meaning of religious freedom is epitomized by an op-ed in The Tennessean by three gutsy Methodist high school students, Emma Anne Stephens, Tate Keuler, and Natalia Del Pino. They write about adoption discrimination at the Holston United Methodist Home for Children. The students invoked historical Methodist views on religious freedom and antisemitism against the Methodist Homes action.

Quoting from the Methodist Book of Discipline they write:

We condemn all overt and covert forms of religious intolerance, being especially sensitive to their expression in media stereotyping. We assert the right of all religions and their adherents to freedom from legal, economic, and social discrimination.

The good news for proponents of authentic religious freedom for all is that theres a throughline from Thomas Jefferson and James Madisons core idea of religious freedom to the values of Emma Anne Stephens, Tate Keuler, and Natalia Del Pino and the United Methodist Churchs Book of Discipline.

The Founders believed that ones religious identity should neither advantage or disadvantage citizens under the law. And so do young Methodists in the 21st century.

Read the original post:

The Right Wing Slant on Religious Freedom is a Slippery Slope - Religion Dispatches

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on The Right Wing Slant on Religious Freedom is a Slippery Slope – Religion Dispatches

Why ‘freedom’ is not the only thing worth fighting for – The Conversation Indonesia

Posted: at 2:13 am

With just two months to go before a federal election is due, we are being bombarded by broadcast ads and yellow billboards around Australia. Funded by Clive Palmer and endorsing his United Australia Party (UAP), they carry a simple message: FREEDOM FREEDOM FREEDOM.

Commentators have talked about the potential demographic these ads are designed to attract, and the relationship of the messaging and Palmer to the anti-vax movement, freedom rallies and convoys.

Then there is the extraordinary amount of money spent on the ads: Palmer has spent more than $31 million since August 2021 on political attack advertising for the UAP. His spending dwarfs the outlay of the major parties by a hundred-fold. He has promised to run the most expensive election campaign in the nations history, based on freedom.

Read more: Is it curtains for Clive? What COVID means for populism in Australia

We should not underestimate the power of freedom messaging. As a society, we have experienced unprecedented constraints on normal freedoms over the past two years. Regardless of any justification for relevant restrictions, a visceral backlash from a significant number of people should not be surprising.

In late July 2021, we conducted a human rights survey of 1,000 people in Queensland. The following question, which was not mandatory, garnered about 800 valid responses: What are the human rights that are most important to you?

While issues relating to equality and discrimination attracted the most responses, the combined total for freedom of speech and freedom generally was 28.7%. If we add freedom from vaccines, that goes up to 29.9%.

While many have dismissed the freedom protests across Australia as fringe movements, this survey indicates that nearly 30% of those who responded to this question felt freedom of some sort to be the most important human right. And this was in Queensland, which did not have the same experience of lockdowns as Victoria and New South Wales.

Freedom tends to denote a preference for government non-interference. But the responses regarding vulnerability and safety (which a combined 12.3% listed as their top priority human rights issues, and, arguably, economic social and cultural rights and equality/discrimination, for a combined 31.97%), tend to favour greater government intervention and action.

There were divergent views on this question among different demographics. For example, men were significantly more concerned than women about freedom of speech (19.6% compared to 13.7%) and civil and political rights (20% compared to 12.2%).

The oldest respondents were those most likely to choose freedom, and especially freedom of speech. First Nations respondents were much more likely to choose economic social and cultural rights (19% compared to 12.6%), and less than one-third as likely to choose civil and political rights (4.8% compared to 15.6%).

We found the higher the respondents level of education, the less concerned they were with equality and discrimination, while concern with civil and political rights increased. As a final example, concerns about freedom of speech and freedom were much higher among lower-to-middle-income groups compared to wealthier respondents.

The demographic differences are not easy to interpret. The results might indicate the groups that are traditionally more vulnerable to rights abuses (for example, women, First Nations people, the less educated) are more likely to prioritise rights that seem to require proactive government.

However, the results are not entirely in keeping with this observation. Concerns over freedom were more apparent among lower-income groups compared to higher-income groups, and among older Queenslanders.

What it clearly tells us, though, is that it is vitally important to reclaim the word freedom as a human rights concept. The political conversation this year needs to remind people that freedom is important, but other concepts also inform human rights. These are, notably, equality, fraternity and dignity: freedom is not absolute.

Freedom to and freedom from are rights that must be balanced against one another: for example, the right to make religious statements and the rights of trans children to an education.

Read more: The debate about religious discrimination is back, so why do we keep hearing about religious 'freedom'?

Government non-interference might, for example, seem desirable to many when it comes to personal choices. But it is certainly undesirable when, for example, people need help recovering from floods or in gaining access to medical treatment.

Opponents of the UAP should avoid anti-freedom messaging. They should focus instead on reclaiming the word freedom as an emancipatory ideal that is a core component of human rights, but not the only one.

Read more from the original source:

Why 'freedom' is not the only thing worth fighting for - The Conversation Indonesia

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on Why ‘freedom’ is not the only thing worth fighting for – The Conversation Indonesia