Yep, and unfortunately some who call themselves Muslims have taken this to an extreme (like other religions have throughout history). It's "Religion A La Carte" imo...
Yes. Yes. Yes. What does any of that have to do with the government protecting equality? You have the right to call 911. Does the government have the right and duty to tell you who to associate with?
what's the point of these people going to church if they're not going to learn to love all God's creation?! people doing religion wrong
Many Christians have been using their canon to justify racism for centuries. I checked the OP's article to see if it was my grandparents church The bigots there are more than capable of this. Most of the BS comes from the Curse of Ham in the book of Genesis. This is where Noah invented booze, got wasted, and passed out. When he wakes up, he finds out that Ham saw his junk while he was asleep, so he curses Ham's son Canaan, and all of his sons for eternity. Cursed to be servants of their brothers. The entire ordeal in quite vague, and there is never any mention of skin color. It's a passage that people have been twisting for CENTURIES to justify their bigotry. It "explained" why some people had dark skin, AND gave slavery the OK. Obviously, most Christian's don't believe this anymore. As always though, there are plenty who refuse to join the 21st century.
Yes, they do. Take http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_men_are_created_equal and add in the fact that I don't think the U.S. Govt forcing a private entity operating in and under protection by United States from discriminating due to race goes against the constitution.
Jesus taught there would be many more fake Christians than authentic ones. Many many more, how to tell a genuine Christian is to use the example of fruit; if the tree (Jesus) is good, the fruit (Christian) will be good. Hottest part of hell is waiting.
I'd rather not argue it, so I'll let you disagree with the Constitutuional underpinning. It's still the case, though, that a banquet hall flat-out saying it won't serve a customer because he's black is illegal. A church might find some legal wiggle room by saying their freedom of religion protects them. But, I think that's a hard argument to make considering their own pastor, who should be seen as some kind of authority on the theology of the church, doesn't seem to believe it to be the case. But, if you just want to argue that the law is wrong and that it oversteps the bounds of Federal authority even though the Supreme Court says otherwise -- well, that's beyond my scope. Even if it 'should' be that way legally, it's just not.
I like how the pastor tries to come off as some kind of hero. He wanted to do the right thing, but he just couldn't because of what he himself calls a "small minority" of the congregation. If it was such a small minority, why did you cower like a wet noodle to their idiotic demands? I guess today's bible lesson should be that civil rights should always take a backseat to what a couple of crotchety old bags in the back pew might say about you. I also like how he didn't want to "ruin their wedding day" so he married them....in a different church. That's insulting.
I would say that the 14th Amendment also adds to equal protection that would prevent a business operating in the public sphere from discriminating. The key difference here is a business that is making money off of the public versus a church that is both a private entity and one that also has Constitutional protection.
Don't be silly, magically in the 1970's God-Mormon said it was no longer acceptable to say God-Mormon hates black folks......
You are on the right track. The rules against PRIVATE clubs and discrimination are different than people think.... Thurgood Marshall expressed it very well.
You think the government should be able to tell you, a private individual citizen, who to associate with? So if you wanted to have a birthday party and happened to only invite people of a single race (or gender, or religion, or pick a protected class) you think someone from another group should be able to sue you? That is preposterous. The portion of the 14th amendment that relates to equal protection (section 1) applies to state action. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment gives no cause of action against private entities.
I think it's pretty hard to argue that the church acted illegally. Private parties can do things like this. However, it is perfectly reasonable to put all public pressure on them, and shame them when their actions involve discrimination like this. That church should be isolated, and ostracized in every way possible.
Pretty much.... A church or private organization can discriminate and I would argue that they should have the right to do so. However, people have the right to protest, apply public pressure, etc.
I think a church is exempt from the discrimination suit because they're not deemed to serve the "public good." I mean, there are Aryan and black churches. I think some localities (like Boston) have stricter anti-discrimination laws, but as far as I know, private groups can discriminate. A private owned business like a doctor or a sports arena cannot discriminate. Although, I'm sure it's not impossible to find an excuse to.
i wonder what the topic for this Sunday's sermon will be...will he mention it? if so, will it be the dominant theme of his address or just a drive-by?
