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In the US, houses of worship, in their dealings with clergy, are not required to abide by anti-discrimination laws. (They are bound to follow anti-discrimination laws in dealing with other employees, though).
I am very strongly in favor of unlimited freedom of religion. And I’ve been heavily involved in my own church, on various leadership councils.
I am surprised that this exemption exists. I find it harmful. I discovered that my own church discriminates based on race (it bans people who are not part of one racial-ethnic community from participating in some programs, and it has a quota on the number of white men who can hold leadership roles). I don’t find that racial discrimination to be Biblical, but the church can get away with it (unless it affects a non-clergy person’s job). And synagogues, mosques and other places of worship can discriminate, too.
Opposing racism is such a fundamental aspect of society today that letting houses of worship discriminate just seems harmful for the houses of worship. It’s like letting your kid drink: sure, government won’t enter a private home and stop a parent from serving a beer to a 15-year old, but it’s not good for a parent to do that.
In the US, houses of worship, in their dealings with clergy, are not required to abide by anti-discrimination laws. (They are bound to follow anti-discrimination laws in dealing with other employees, though).
I am very strongly in favor of unlimited freedom of religion. And I’ve been heavily involved in my own church, on various leadership councils.
I am surprised that this exemption exists. I find it harmful. I discovered that my own church discriminates based on race (it bans people who are not part of one racial-ethnic community from participating in some programs, and it has a quota on the number of white men who can hold leadership roles). I don’t find that racial discrimination to be Biblical, but the church can get away with it (unless it affects a non-clergy person’s job). And synagogues, mosques and other places of worship can discriminate, too.
Opposing racism is such a fundamental aspect of society today that letting houses of worship discriminate just seems harmful for the houses of worship. It’s like letting your kid drink: sure, government won’t enter a private home and stop a parent from serving a beer to a 15-year old, but it’s not good for a parent to do that.
Thoughts?
My understanding (perhaps mistaken?) is that the exemptions are even more liberal than you describe. I don't think for example that a fundamentalist church can be made to hire a person they object to on faux moral grounds -- say, a gay or transgender church secretary, or to accept such persons into membership. An example that was explained to me once is that a church can decline to officiate or allow their facilities to be used for a gay marriage if that facility is only available to members. Once you start renting it out to the general public however, you can't control those things. Or more exactly if a member wants their gay son to have a same sex wedding the church can decline to do that but if some random person rents the facility from 3 pm to 9 pm on a Saturday night, you can't dictate what they can and can't use it for, apart from not damaging the property or doing illegal things like selling drugs, disturbing the peace and such like. Since gay marriage is not only legal but protected now, you can't prevent that.
In the US, houses of worship, in their dealings with clergy, are not required to abide by anti-discrimination laws. (They are bound to follow anti-discrimination laws in dealing with other employees, though).
I am very strongly in favor of unlimited freedom of religion. And I’ve been heavily involved in my own church, on various leadership councils.
I am surprised that this exemption exists. I find it harmful. I discovered that my own church discriminates based on race (it bans people who are not part of one racial-ethnic community from participating in some programs, and it has a quota on the number of white men who can hold leadership roles). I don’t find that racial discrimination to be Biblical, but the church can get away with it (unless it affects a non-clergy person’s job). And synagogues, mosques and other places of worship can discriminate, too.
Opposing racism is such a fundamental aspect of society today that letting houses of worship discriminate just seems harmful for the houses of worship. It’s like letting your kid drink: sure, government won’t enter a private home and stop a parent from serving a beer to a 15-year old, but it’s not good for a parent to do that.
Thoughts?
That does sound racist. I don't agree with what your church is doing, but I do think they should be able to do what they want. I would change churches.
In the US, houses of worship, in their dealings with clergy, are not required to abide by anti-discrimination laws. (They are bound to follow anti-discrimination laws in dealing with other employees, though).
I am very strongly in favor of unlimited freedom of religion. And I’ve been heavily involved in my own church, on various leadership councils.
I am surprised that this exemption exists. I find it harmful. I discovered that my own church discriminates based on race (it bans people who are not part of one racial-ethnic community from participating in some programs, and it has a quota on the number of white men who can hold leadership roles). I don’t find that racial discrimination to be Biblical, but the church can get away with it (unless it affects a non-clergy person’s job). And synagogues, mosques and other places of worship can discriminate, too.
Opposing racism is such a fundamental aspect of society today that letting houses of worship discriminate just seems harmful for the houses of worship. It’s like letting your kid drink: sure, government won’t enter a private home and stop a parent from serving a beer to a 15-year old, but it’s not good for a parent to do that.
Thoughts?
It sounds like you have an issue with Affirmative Action. Most government positions hire based on it.
It sounds like you have an issue with Affirmative Action. Most government positions hire based on it.
Thanks to the perversity of human nature the very laws designed to eliminate racism and discrimination have fostered it in reverse. It is the epitome of human stupidity, IMO.
Thanks to the perversity of human nature the very laws designed to eliminate racism and discrimination have fostered it in reverse. It is the epitome of human stupidity, IMO.
Regardless of the laws, the people of the churches should be helping police the wrongs within the church, and callout the guilty. And that should happen regardless of the person's status or role.
When that doesn't happen, it thoroughly indicts that church. There's no way around that. Their misdeeds and "sins" overshadow anything positive or productive they might be doing.
Regardless of the laws, the people of the churches should be helping police the wrongs within the church, and callout the guilty. And that should happen regardless of the person's status or role.
When that doesn't happen, it thoroughly indicts that church. There's no way around that.
It sounds like you have an issue with Affirmative Action. Most government positions hire based on it.
No, I don't have a problem with affirmative action.
I do have a problem with a church, which should be acting in Biblically-based ways, preventing people from using their spiritual gifts due to their skin color. I'm not aware of anything in the Bible that says, basically, "people who want to serve God, and who have spiritual gifts, should not be allowed to due to their skin color". To the contrary, the Bible calls on us to love each other across racial lines, and to welcome everyone of every race into Christ's ministry.
My church also has a Bible study group that white, Black and Hispanic people cannot attend. I find it shocking that a church would prevent people from hearing God's Word due to their skin color.
No, I don't have a problem with affirmative action.
I do have a problem with a church, which should be acting in Biblically-based ways, preventing people from using their spiritual gifts due to their skin color. I'm not aware of anything in the Bible that says, basically, "people who want to serve God, and who have spiritual gifts, should not be allowed to due to their skin color". To the contrary, the Bible calls on us to love each other across racial lines, and to welcome everyone of every race into Christ's ministry.
My church also has a Bible study group that white, Black and Hispanic people cannot attend. I find it shocking that a church would prevent people from hearing God's Word due to their skin color.
Then why is it your church?
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