text: But your argument compares apples to oranges here. Joining the army is not providing a public service. It is a contract that an individual enters into with the government on a one on one basis. CO status allows, in certain instances to recuse yourself from being 'forced' into engaging in that contract in time of war and the draft. Engaging in public commerce and providing a public service, on the other hand, does not allow, contrary to the whole "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" signs would have you think, you to not provide service to a group of individuals. That is discrimination - providing service to one group and not another in the public sphere. Question: Why is there not the same uproar and teeth-gnashing about divorce and being "forced" to provide services to divorced and remarried (wedding photography, counseling, etc.) people? That, too, is scripturally prohibited. Why does not qualify as a strongly held religious belief in the same way?