Is it Ethical to be fired for stating Christian beliefs

Cis.jd

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If he was advocating for people to be decapitated, then he would be inciting a crime. But if you leave the decapitation aside, then I would defend his right to say these things about me. In fact, I would welcome it and wear his words a s badge of pride, because it is good if the followers of a false religion are troubled by my righteousness.

For that matter, I am pretty sure that all devout muslims would think I was going to hell (or whatever their equivalent is). Why would they not? At least this guy would be being honest.

No. He wouldn't be advocating a crime exactly, he is clearly expressing his beliefs verbally. There is no absolutely no difference between thinking someone deserves to be decapitated from someone "burning for all eternity". It's both a violent death for the other person/group.

If you are all ok about attacking groups by telling them they are going to get killed for whatever, then why stop there. Why not be ok with "i think xyz should be slaves as what my religion says"? What about cults that think girls at a certain age having a specific trait should lose their virginity, would you defend his right to say these things because of religious views?
 
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RDKirk

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No. He wouldn't be advocating a crime exactly, he is clearly expressing his beliefs verbally. There is no absolutely no difference between thinking someone deserves to be decapitated from someone "burning for all eternity". It's both a violent death for the other person/group.

Well, yes, there is a difference.

Being decapitated is a real thing, and people voicing support for such a thing is how such things actually happen. How did black people get lynched in the south? By people starting to voice support for a lynching, which made other people think it a social standard they were willing to apply.

Going to hell may or may not be a real thing, but for sure nobody voicing support for it can make it happen.
 
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Zoii

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I am pretty sure that all devout muslims would think I was going to hell (or whatever their equivalent is). Why would they not? At least this guy would be being honest.

Jon I can imagine that a person of Islamic Faith, employed as a brilliant teacher at a public or christian school, would be disciplined if he started making comments that all christians are infidels. Now, he may be just citing a verse, he may not be a bad guy, but his views are not acceptable under the terms of his employment, if those views are expressed in the public domain or in the school.

Thats what this OP is about. This player uses his high profile rugby status, and deploys messages that criticise a large section of the community. The platforms he chooses, are specifically public platforms that indicate his position as a representative of Australian Rugby Union. The rugby Code of Conduct has specific restrictions on the use of Social Media that negatively impacts rugby or its community.

So when you say 'At least he is being honest'...well no he's not. he knew the restrictions when he signed his contract - How dishonest of him to sign knowing full well he would not honour his agreement.
 
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KCfromNC

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All sexual immorality is forbidden by God. Not just this single action. You've got that right anyway.

And quoting Bible verses is not an "attack" nor is making an assertion. If I say, "Watching one's parents turn on each other and then divorce hurts kids", I am not "attacking" divorced people.

I'm stating an actual truth, that this action does hurt the children. It does.

Truth? No, it is opinion. And opinion which causes harm to various people.

By all means, express it. But don't be surprised when you get pushback. Or when it gets in the way of the message you're hoping to deliver to non-Christians.
 
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RDKirk

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No more so than a Christian saying that certain groups are deserving of hell.

As I said earlier, inciting people to be decapitated can result in people actually being decapitated.

Saying that certain groups are deserving of hell results in nothing.
 
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KCfromNC

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As I said earlier, inciting people to be decapitated can result in people actually being decapitated.
Saying people deserve something they're going to get from an unrelated 3rd party isn't inciting, though. Whether it be hell or whatever else.
 
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RDKirk

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Saying people deserve something they're going to get from an unrelated 3rd party isn't inciting, though. Whether it be hell or whatever else.

Inciting to what? If no action is being incited, then it's not an incitement. You have to find another word to use.
 
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RDKirk

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Not sure what you mean - I was quoting your use of the word.

On one hand you're talking about people promoting real-world actions, on the other hand you're talking about people treating Star Trek like it was a real thing (because you don't believe in hell in the first place).

One is real, the other is make-believe as far as you're concerned. So, no, you don't have a valid argument that they are the same.

Even for people who believe there is a hell, none of us believes that anyone's assertion can send anyone there. So even for us they are not the same.
 
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loveofourlord

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If I have understood the argument correctly, it's that treating people as if they deserve hell, encourages other people also to treat them badly. And I would say that's not without some truth.

you could also argue that the higher rates of suicide among LGBT comes alot from the treatment of saying they are going to hell and the way people respond to that.
 
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Cis.jd

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Well, yes, there is a difference.

Being decapitated is a real thing, and people voicing support for such a thing is how such things actually happen. How did black people get lynched in the south? By people starting to voice support for a lynching, which made other people think it a social standard they were willing to apply.

Going to hell may or may not be a real thing, but for sure nobody voicing support for it can make it happen.

The point isn't about an actual fatal outcome, both statements can lead to negatives. If you have this perception that certain people are going to hell, that means they are evil. Because that is the outcome of everybody who isn't good. Due to that, these people who are "condemned" by somebody as deserving of hell can be treated negatively by society.

If you were in a country which populace is Islam or another non-christian religion, and somebody states that jesus believers like you are "a plague" or any negative statement, you are potentially prone to receive discrimination or any form of negative views/reactions from your environment.
 
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RestoreTheJoy

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Truth? No, it is opinion. And opinion which causes harm to various people.

By all means, express it. But don't be surprised when you get pushback. Or when it gets in the way of the message you're hoping to deliver to non-Christians.
It is an opinion based on fact. You can find it yourself. Kids want mom and dad to love each other and them, above all things. Despite how this is twisted today by those with an agenda to advance.
 
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RestoreTheJoy

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Yes, seriously. And it's not just my view; as I pointed out, it's pretty much been a consistently agreed Western Christian view for centuries, which is what has shaped American laws as they are.

And I'd like to see the Scripture which supports your last sentence.

Jesus:
3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity and marries another, commits adultery.

Malachi 2:14 reiterates the husband/wife covenant in another context, since our relationship with God is a covenant too. “Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

The first marriage in scripture is between Adam and Eve. The last marriage in scripture is between Christ and His Bride, the Church universal. The Bible tells the story basically through marriage, as it is that important to God. How we have devalued it.
 
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RestoreTheJoy

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It is not adversarial - it is just a statement of my views. When I talk of "marriage" I am refering to the union of a man and a women before God, so if God is missing, by this definition they are not married. I will admit that this is not in line with the legal definition of marriage, with requires no belief at all, but that is not what I am talking about.

Similarly, the definition of "Good" is, in my view, "pleasing to God". If you are not a Christian, you are not pleasing to God and you are not good. Very simple.

I do of course recognise the "marriage" of non-Christians, in so much as I recognise that they are together and have made a commitment to one another, but I don't think of it as a Christian marriage. And I would of course give equal respect to a couple who were living together without the legal union.

And again similarly, I am quite happy for you to have an alternate definition of "good", but to be frank, I don't know what that is. You just declared that I was "adversarial", so you would presumably not regard me as "good". I don't care, because it is clear to me that people outside the Christian faith will have very different definitions of good, so I will not try and have you fired from your job for expressing that view.
I think we all understand - or should - that simply because something is legal, doesn't make it morally right. We have seen this throughout history, as man imposes his will over what God said to do.
 
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RDKirk

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The point isn't about an actual fatal outcome, both statements can lead to negatives. If you have this perception that certain people are going to hell, that means they are evil. Because that is the outcome of everybody who isn't good. Due to that, these people who are "condemned" by somebody as deserving of hell can be treated negatively by society.

And that is why schools in America get forced to take fried chicken off their cafeteria menus.

If you were in a country which populace is Islam or another non-christian religion, and somebody states that jesus believers like you are "a plague" or any negative statement, you are potentially prone to receive discrimination or any form of negative views/reactions from your environment.

Except we're not talking about Saudi Arabia, nor anywhere that "you're going to hell" actually makes a hill of beans difference. In fact, "I'm going to hell in two religions" is even a meme.
 
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Paidiske

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Jesus:
3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity and marries another, commits adultery.

Malachi 2:14 reiterates the husband/wife covenant in another context, since our relationship with God is a covenant too. “Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

The first marriage in scripture is between Adam and Eve. The last marriage in scripture is between Christ and His Bride, the Church universal. The Bible tells the story basically through marriage, as it is that important to God. How we have devalued it.

Sure, in the context of ancient Israel, God - whose Torah governed every aspect of life - was a witness against an abusive husband. But I don't read either that or the passage you've quoted from the gospel to mean that God is a party to the marriage covenant.

Nothing there proves that non-Christians aren't validly married.
 
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RestoreTheJoy

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Sure, in the context of ancient Israel, God - whose Torah governed every aspect of life - was a witness against an abusive husband. But I don't read either that or the passage you've quoted from the gospel to mean that God is a party to the marriage covenant.

Nothing there proves that non-Christians aren't validly married.
The two shall become one flesh. That's the meaning of the marriage covenant.
 
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Paidiske

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The two shall become one flesh. That's the meaning of the marriage covenant.

Yes... but where is God in that? A man and woman of any faith or none can do that.
 
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