Belgian municipalities have started forcing people to use web browsers to interact with public services. That’s right. It’s no longer possible to reach a variety of public services in an analog way in some Belgian regions. And for people willing to wrestle with the information systems being imposed, it also means cash payment is now impossible when a service requires a fee. The government is steam-rolling over elderly people who struggle with how to use technology along with those who only embrace inclusive privacy-respecting technology. These groups are apparently small enough to be marginalized without government reps worrying about lost votes.
Hypothetically, what would happen if some Amish villages existed in Belgium? I ask because what’s being imposed would strongly go against their religion. Would the right to practice religion carry enough weight to compel the government to maintain an offline option even if it’s a small group of Amish? If yes, would that option likely be extended to everyone, or exclusive to the Amish?
Not hypothetical. And wrong government. You also misunderstood what you quoted (which was speaking of a general philosophical scenario that manifests in the real world in parallel to the hypothetical Amish scenario).
Incidentally, a US supreme court ruled that Amish (who per their religion oppose insurance) are exempt from the social security system on the basis of religious freedom. The hypothetical is obviously unanswered, as it involves Amish people in Europe and not over insurance but over forced use of on-grid technology and forced use of machines that are more complex than a word processor.
How do you even think a European gov could have protected the religious freedom of the Amish? They do not exist in Europe. US and Canada only.
Your trainwreck, not mine. I was after intellectual replies by folks with a bit more civility. You hi-jacked the train then off-railed it. The train wreck is purely your hot-headed emotional rant – effectively your #threadCrap.
Why don’t you try to practice constructive use of your own time by writing civil responses - or not writing at all? Lose the hot-head, think about the inequality of religious freedom to religious people and lack thereof to non-religious people with an equally strong moral code, and try to come up with something that avoids logical fallacy. Even better if you can display a bit of inspirational wisdom. Try to show people that you’re somehow more than an annoying troll.