Equality Act

spiritfilledjm

Well-known Member
Supporter
Apr 15, 2007
1,844
1,642
37
Indianapolis, Indiana
✟225,404.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican

Paulos23

Never tell me the odds!
Mar 23, 2005
8,168
4,434
Washington State
✟309,164.00
Country
United States
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Should Christians be able to do the same?
For most Christians that I know, they already do.

But, I find I have to defend my life from Christians that feel they can direct my life and my friends. That is the part I have a problem with, is that some Christians can not keep out of other people's lives and go as far as using local government or social pressure to make life hard for 'sinners'.

Enforcing equality and live and let live does not sit well with these Christians.
 
Upvote 0

SilverBear

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2016
7,359
3,297
57
Michigan
✟166,106.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Widowed
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/202...eats-people-of-faith-as-second-class-citizens

Thoughts? What should our response be as Christians if this were to pass? What should our churches do in response?
i think the first thing Christians need to do is find an appropriate response to the horrific lies the linked article is presenting.

Lie #1: "Under the Equality Act, disagreement is considered discrimination." Of course the bill says nothing of the sort.
Of course the question of those who like to claim it's just disagreement is 'exactly what are you disagreeing with?' You can try asking but you won't get an actual answer from them.
Do they disagree that LGBT individuals are people?
Do they disagree that LGBT individuals have the same same rights and legal protections?
Do they disagree that people shouldn't be fired or denied employment just because they are a member of a minority?
Do they disagree that people shouldn't be evicted from their homes or denied housing just because they are a member of a minority?
Do they disagree that LGBT individuals shouldn't have to live in fear of violence against them and their families?

I don't know.

Lie #2 and 3: ""We can see it would immediately be stripping religious Americans and stripping girls and women of our equal rights,"
Exactly what rights are being stripped away? well....none

Lie #4 "By redefining sex discrimination, the measure would provide for abortion on demand"
How?

Lie #5: "likely end a longstanding prohibition on taxpayer funded abortions"

Lie #6: "remove conscience protections for doctors and nurses."
if medical professionals are refusing to treat people because they are members of a minority then they no conscience and deserve to loose their medical licence. The AMA made it clear when some states tried to pass laws saying medical personal don't have to treat LGBT that such bigoted actions have no place in medicine.

Lie #7 and 8: Biological men would be allowed to compete in women's sports effectively obliterating Title IX while girls and women would be forced to share locker rooms and bathrooms in schools and public places.[/quote] neither of which are happening

Lie #9: ""In Alaska, the city of Anchorage had a law like this and punished a faith-based homeless shelter for battered women and actually forced them to allow biological men who identified as women to sleep and change clothes alongside these women, most of whom were victims of rape and sex trafficking and actually prosecuted (the shelter) under the law, trying to shut down this Christian shelter,"
the Hope Center shelter of Anchorage Alaska was never investigated or threatened with shut down. The Shelter sued the city demanding the right to discriminate.

Lie #10: ""If I go to interview in a job and I'm not hired I can sue that employer because I perceive they were thinking I was gay and so they didn't hire me,"
any claims of discrimination must include evidence of that discrimination no matter the minority. Last year multiple cases of such discrimination went all the way to the Supreme Court and yes they all had evidence that the plaintiffs were fired from their jobs because they were LGBT.

Lie # 11: Under the bill, Christian beliefs are unlawful.

Lie # 12: Churches could be prevented from requiring employees to abide by their biblical beliefs about marriage and differences between men and women.

they can't do this now.

Lie #13: "Churches are banned from having a dress code,"
this one is a laugh

Lie #14: "having a code of conduct for their employees."

Lie #15: " asking in interviews if potential employees share core religious beliefs"
employers can't ask about your religious beliefs now.

Lie # 16""The Equality Act treats people of faith as second-class citizens." expecting someone to treat others with the same dignity and respect they want is not making anyone a second class citizen.

Lie #17 "It specifies a certain point of view and it labels it as bigotry," No it labels bigotry as bigotry
 
Upvote 0

iluvatar5150

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2012
25,021
23,928
Baltimore
✟551,652.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
Upvote 0

Tinker Grey

Wanderer
Supporter
Feb 6, 2002
11,213
5,604
Erewhon
Visit site
✟923,105.00
Faith
Atheist
Christians need to be praying and contacting their representatives against this legislation
Christians need to read the thread so as to understand how the article is a lie.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

topher694

Go Turtle!
Jan 29, 2019
3,828
3,038
St. Cloud, MN
✟186,760.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
For most Christians that I know, they already do.

But, I find I have to defend my life from Christians that feel they can direct my life and my friends. That is the part I have a problem with, is that some Christians can not keep out of other people's lives and go as far as using local government or social pressure to make life hard for 'sinners'.

Enforcing equality and live and let live does not sit well with these Christians.
Notice this is NOT an answer. It is just deflecting and finger pointing. I am glad most Christians you know already do. But I know of many, myself included, who have, at times, not been able to do so. What about them? So I'll ask again: Should Christians be able to mind their business and live their lives as they see fit?
 
  • Useful
Reactions: Hank77
Upvote 0

Paulos23

Never tell me the odds!
Mar 23, 2005
8,168
4,434
Washington State
✟309,164.00
Country
United States
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Notice this is NOT an answer. It is just deflecting and finger pointing. I am glad most Christians you know already do. But I know of many, myself included, who have, at times, not been able to do so. What about them? So I'll ask again: Should Christians be able to mind their business and live their lives as they see fit?

They should at least think about how it makes others feel and if what others do really does affect them. Does it matter if SSM exists outside their church? Does it matter that people are changing their gender? Does it matter that people don't believe in their God?

Sure, you can tell me I am a sinner, but it took me years for that to stop affecting me and realize I was doing nothing wrong. Or that my gay or pagan friends are fine. I am done with Christians claiming to hold the one true path and trying to whip the rest of us onto it.

And that is the problem, some Christians can't stop trying to shame or punishing others. It is like that wedding cake baker that would not bake a cake for a gay wedding. Instead of finding some other way to handle it he just claimed it was his religious right to deny them a cake. What other religion does that? I know some other religious people that would either quit or figure out a way in their religion to deal with it. They take the responsibilities and consequences on themselves and not impose them on others.

And that is where my anger is coming from. The few Christians that wanted to impose their beliefs on me whether I accept them or not. Well, they don't get to tell me how to run my life, not anymore. They can live their life the way they want to, but they don't run the public space or use the privilege they have had in our society.

They just need to recognize they are a small part of American society now and they don't have the right to make everyone else follow their tune.
 
Upvote 0

Paulos23

Never tell me the odds!
Mar 23, 2005
8,168
4,434
Washington State
✟309,164.00
Country
United States
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
As should Atheists.
It is one thing to be saying your wrong, it is another to use social and legal pressures to force others to do it your way.
 
Upvote 0

iluvatar5150

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2012
25,021
23,928
Baltimore
✟551,652.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
They should at least think about how it makes others feel and if what others do really does affect them. Does it matter if SSM exists outside their church? Does it matter that people are changing their gender? Does it matter that people don't believe in their God?

Sure, you can tell me I am a sinner, but it took me years for that to stop affecting me and realize I was doing nothing wrong. Or that my gay or pagan friends are fine. I am done with Christians claiming to hold the one true path and trying to whip the rest of us onto it.

And that is the problem, some Christians can't stop trying to shame or punishing others. It is like that wedding cake baker that would not bake a cake for a gay wedding. Instead of finding some other way to handle it he just claimed it was his religious right to deny them a cake. What other religion does that? I know some other religious people that would either quit or figure out a way in their religion to deal with it. They take the responsibilities and consequences on themselves and not impose them on others.

And that is where my anger is coming from. The few Christians that wanted to impose their beliefs on me whether I accept them or not. Well, they don't get to tell me how to run my life, not anymore. They can live their life the way they want to, but they don't run the public space or use the privilege they have had in our society.

They just need to recognize they are a small part of American society now and they don't have the right to make everyone else follow their tune.

There's so much poison coursing through the veins of the evangelical church right now, they'd do well to start looking inward and cleaning their own houses instead of constantly manufacturing outrage about outsiders.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Carl Emerson

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2017
14,667
9,977
78
Auckland
✟376,544.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
It is one thing to be saying your wrong, it is another to use social and legal pressures to force others to do it your way.

That is where the battle is being fought... the horse has bolted.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: anna ~ grace
Upvote 0

topher694

Go Turtle!
Jan 29, 2019
3,828
3,038
St. Cloud, MN
✟186,760.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
They should at least think about how it makes others feel and if what others do really does affect them. Does it matter if SSM exists outside their church? Does it matter that people are changing their gender? Does it matter that people don't believe in their God?

Sure, you can tell me I am a sinner, but it took me years for that to stop affecting me and realize I was doing nothing wrong. Or that my gay or pagan friends are fine. I am done with Christians claiming to hold the one true path and trying to whip the rest of us onto it.

And that is the problem, some Christians can't stop trying to shame or punishing others. It is like that wedding cake baker that would not bake a cake for a gay wedding. Instead of finding some other way to handle it he just claimed it was his religious right to deny them a cake. What other religion does that? I know some other religious people that would either quit or figure out a way in their religion to deal with it. They take the responsibilities and consequences on themselves and not impose them on others.

And that is where my anger is coming from. The few Christians that wanted to impose their beliefs on me whether I accept them or not. Well, they don't get to tell me how to run my life, not anymore. They can live their life the way they want to, but they don't run the public space or use the privilege they have had in our society.

They just need to recognize they are a small part of American society now and they don't have the right to make everyone else follow their tune.
I didn't ask about any of that. And now twice I've clearly asked you a simple question, based on a simple statement you made. Based on your avoiding the question twice and your responses I'm assuming the answer is in fact, no. No, Christians should not be able to mind their business and live their lives how they want to live unless the believe and do the "correct" things in your eyes. So in reality this is not a discussion about equality at all. You are treating people no differently than the ways you've described you hate.

BTW, I am in no way claiming I approve or disapprove of any of the examples you've provided. That is not my focus here.
 
Upvote 0

civilwarbuff

Well-Known Member
Supporter
May 28, 2015
14,586
7,102
✟606,026.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Constitution
Enforcing equality and live and let live does not sit well with these Christians.
If all it did was 'live and let live' most of us would be OK with that.....but it does far more than that. It brings the force of law and punishment for those who disagree and refuse to follow the law......much more than 'live and let live' as you would like....
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Paulos23

Never tell me the odds!
Mar 23, 2005
8,168
4,434
Washington State
✟309,164.00
Country
United States
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
I didn't ask about any of that. And now twice I've clearly asked you a simple question, based on a simple statement you made. Based on your avoiding the question twice and your responses I'm assuming the answer is in fact, no. No, Christians should not be able to mind their business and live their lives how they want to live unless the believe and do the "correct" things in your eyes. So in reality this is not a discussion about equality at all. You are treating people no differently than the ways you've described you hate.

BTW, I am in no way claiming I approve or disapprove of any of the examples you've provided. That is not my focus here.
No, they need to not apply them to others, which is what most of that article is about is them losing their ability to do that.

This topic has also riled me up since it touches on some bad experiences I have had with Evangelical Christians. I have a long list of things I think they should not be able to do to others that they can't help doing.

I think they can live their life the way they want to, but most likely they will have to live in a box to keep the outside sinful world away.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Innsmuthbride
Upvote 0