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Shirina, I am an Atheist and I will defend the law.
Some people have strong religious beliefs. If their job is to provide a service, they should have the right to refuse a service that reasonably violates their religious beliefs.
For example, what if an Orthodox Jewish photographer refuses to take pictures at a Catholic wedding in the presence of idols they find abhorrent?
What if the same photographer refuses to take pictures at a family celebration where a pig is butchered, roasted, and devoured by the guests?
What if a devout Muslim pharmacist refuses to sell condoms to two men who come into the store holding hands?
A Christian was "persecuted" for following his religious conviction. It says as much in the OP's cited article. I assume the OP read the article before posting.
Why should he be forced to photograph a gay wedding?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiker45
I am an Atheist and I will defend the law.
Some people have strong religious beliefs. If their job is to provide a service, they should have the right to refuse a service that reasonably violates their religious beliefs.
For example, what if an Orthodox Jewish photographer refuses to take pictures at a Catholic wedding in the presence of idols they find abhorrent?
What if the same photographer refuses to take pictures at a family celebration where a pig is butchered, roasted, and devoured by the guests?
What if a devout Muslim pharmacist refuses to sell condoms to two men who come into the store holding hands?
What do you think about these three examples?
Your most recent rep came from me. I appreciate open minded people.
The American South is turning into a Christian version of the Middle East.
So is Arizona. They don't want you to give a lift to an undocumented worker on a day when it's 115 degrees, they don't want gay couples to receive the dignity of service in a restaurant because they're human beings and deserving of such..... but by gum they offer concealed weapon permit classes at churches all over the state.
I was actually going to post this in the thread about churches not blessing gay marriages because this story applies there ... but since I can't, I'm making a new thread.
Here's the rub: I've been around long enough to know how Christians are constantly complaining about how persecuted they are. This mainly comes from trivial things like not being able to display massive Christian crosses on a war memorial representing fallen soldiers of multiple different faiths.
The big "outrage" among Christians lately is this fear that churches will be forced to perform ceremonies for gay couples. And while the Christians are wringing their hands over that molehill-to-mountain problem, Christians are busy doing the REAL persecution:
The Arizona Legislature gave final approval Thursday evening to legislation that allows business owners asserting their religious beliefs to refuse service to gays, drawing backlash from Democrats who called the proposal "state-sanctioned discrimination" and an embarrassment.
Similar "religious protection" legislation has been introduced in Ohio, Mississippi, Idaho, South Dakota, Kansas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, but Arizona's plan is the only one that has passed. The efforts are stalled in Idaho, Ohio, and Kansas.
Yeah, it would seem just the OPPOSITE is happening; not only do churches not have to perform gay weddings, religious people don't even have to serve gays in their businesses or even sell things to them.
What have I been saying on this forum since I arrived? I said that Christians will NOT stop with merely banning gay marriage. They're going to do everything they can to make being homosexual a crime. Even if it means using religion to encourage bigotry, discrimination, and hatred throughout the land using the force of law.
I just find it angering that Christians whine and moan about being persecuted - but here is an example of REAL persecution, ladies and gentlemen, which means I am going to positively SLAM the next Christian who moans about being persecuted. Even at the risk of getting myself banned, if needs be. Because I'm sick of it.
And it's not just stopping with Arizona. As you can see from the story, lots of states are proposing the same kinds of bills. You see, the thing is, no one has to PROVE they are religious when they haul some poor gay person out of their store. They just have to be a bigot, and they can just "claim" they're doing it because of their religion even though they're just doing it because they don't like gays. At least the blue states are smart enough not to pass it, but we'll see about the stalled red states in the midwest.
Why do we need laws like this? In a nation that lauds and champions freedom and screams it from the rooftops, why do we have laws like this that are inherently UNfree? The Democrats are right - this IS an embarrassment because the world is watching.
Just as a fair warning to Christians, anyone who comes to this thread and tries to defend this law? Heh heh, well, I really hope you're girded well with the armor of righteousness because you'll need every last atom of it. Trust me.
I believe that anyone in private business should have the legal right to refuse to serve anyone, for any reason. No need to even state what the reason is.
Since Buyers are not legally forced to buy from Sellers equally, and give reasons why they don't...Sellers should not be legally forced to sell to Buyers equally, or give reasons why they don't. THAT is the only truly "equal" way...any other way is less so...unless Buyers are legally required to buy from all Sellers equally.
I believe that anyone in private business should have the legal right to refuse to serve anyone, for any reason. No need to even state what the reason is.
Really? If I run a restaurant I can walk up to a black/Hispanic/Asian person and say "we don't serve your kind here".
This is completely abhorrent, patently discriminatory, and downright evil.
If I told you my true feelings I am sure that I would violate TOS for flaming a poster.
This is a thread where people are advocating their "right" to refuse service to ethic, racial, religious and other minorities because they find those customers icky. What sort of rational discussion do you expect?
This is a thread where people are advocating their "right" to refuse service to ethic, racial, religious and other minorities because they find those customers icky. What sort of rational discussion do you expect?
A perversion that is an abomination to God is not "icky". It's a serious sin in Christianity. Serious as in "where is your soul going to spend Eternity" serious.
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