[bediger4000]

If I chose not to hang around someone who continually brings their politics or their religion into whatever is going on, am I shunning them?

Let's say I read paleontology for fun. Can I avoid Young Earth Creationists socially, or am I shunning them?

[whstl]

That's a very strange question.

Not hanging out with someone is obviously fine, and it's your choice.

Firing or publicly shunning someone is a totally different matter.

[bediger4000]

"Not hanging out with someone" is the very definition of shunning, public or otherwise.

Why is firing a different matter? If I'm an employer in an at will state, I most certainly can fire someone who's not a member of a protected group, like atheists, say.

[whstl]

Doing something "public or otherwise" is obviously different, hence the "or". I don't think I have to explain anything here, or do I?

And firing is obviously different from "avoiding socially" because you don't pay people to hang out with you.