First once again I clarified that it may not be happening in churches at this stage so you are asking me to support something I have already said may not be happening. In post #794 I replied to your postDon't give me that. I asked you to provide even a single example of it happening, and you couldn't even do that.
The facts are I have provided evidence. But lets look at the bigger picture because that is the real issue. Do you honestly believe that no one is being denied their religious rights to freely express their beliefs and follow their conscience.Do try to scare us into accepting your position when you can't provide any evidence for it.
You need to vet your sources a little better. This old chestnut completely misrepresents what actually happened--basically it's a lie created to whip up anti-gay hysteria. The Hitching Post was a private wedding chapel run by a mail-order minister as a commercial business. When he refused to marry gay couples, noise started to be made about it. The Coeur d'Alene city attorney told the minister that as a commercial operation he was bound by public accommodation laws and could be subject to legal action if he refused to marry gays but that if he reorganized his business as a church the problem would go away--and that's what happened; the problem went away.Idaho Ministers Forced to Officiate Gay Weddings
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here
Idaho Ministers Forced to Officiate Gay Weddings | Snopes.com
First once again I clarified that it may not be happening in churches at this stage so you are asking me to support something I have already said may not be happening. In post #794 I replied to your post
Kylie said:
I'm not aware of any church in Australia that has been forced to perform a same sex marriage ceremony if they didn't want to.
Stevevw said:
It may not be the church itself at the moment but we are seeing the priests themselves and any associated entity of the church like Church owned buildings, schools, and reception venues being forced to hold same sex marriages, ceremonies, and receptions. I cannot see the difference as they all belong to the church and are extensions of the church and therefore the same religious rights should apply. It seems only a matter of time that the same logic be applied to the church itself.
Second forcing someone to go along or perform with SSM doesnt mean they have to actually perform or go along with the actual ceremony. It also means being put in a situation where they have no choice but to perform SSM otherwise if they dont they suffer consequences. IE go along with SSM or else. So if they choose to not go along and are then fined, disciplined, sacked, resign, suffer damages or close their service down as a result then they have been forced to go along with SSM. Even the articles agree with this interpretation.IE
Ohio minister says county law forces her to perform same-sex weddings
I’m simply asking that my county also respect me, my business, and my freedoms as an American citizen instead of forcing me to write or speak messages that contradict my beliefs.”
Ohio minister says county law forces her to perform same-sex weddings
Idaho Ministers Forced to Officiate Gay Weddings
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here
Idaho Ministers Forced to Officiate Gay Weddings | Snopes.com
Third I have provided examples of religious entities already as shown above and in other posts being forced to conform to SSM. All your trying to do is deny this by claiming the evdience doesnt fit what you say it should fit. But the fact is its happening.
But despite saying it may not be happening in the church at this stage I still provided evidence that in some cases it is happening in the Church. In fact in one of my examples you even agreed that it was close to supporting my claim IE Kylie said in post #814
This is the only example where you have anything close to a legitimate argument, and the person you are criticising is not the government, nor atheists, but the Presiding Bishop who runs the church in question.
What is your complaint that its its not a 100% support for my claim. You say the government or atheists are not forcing Bishop Love but the Church boss is and that somehow means Bishop Love has no rights. But this is irrelevant because it doesnt matter if the source comes from inside or outside the church. The fact is the Bishop is being forced into performing SSM against his conscience. That is the real issue.
The fact he resigned to avoid having to go along doesnt deminish the fact he was being forced to go along. Its about a denial of being able to follow ones conscience which is a human right. The fact the church is doing it is makes it even worse.
So either way your claim I havent provided one example is false.
The facts are I have provided evidence. But lets look at the bigger picture because that is the real issue. Do you honestly believe that no one is being denied their religious rights to freely express their beliefs and follow their conscience.
My complaint is that when the marriage equality Bill came out many religious entities expressed their concern about there being inadequate measures to protect religious freedom and that people were using scare tactics by even bring this up just as you are doing. Now that the law has been changed we are seeing many examples of people’s religious rights being denied. So the concern about religious freedoms being denied was justified.
It seems now that I am giving examples and making an issue of this you want to do exactly what people did when the laws were being changed which is to pretend it isn’t happening. So if anyone is creating a false scenario and reality it is you and people like you who deny religious entities are being denied their rights. If we look at all the stories and examples I have linked it is definitly happening and will only continue to happen. Trying to restrict the evdience it is happening down to some strict criteria you want to hold it too doesnt change that.
According to the latest update on the case the City ended up paying the owners of the Hitching Post compensation for the time they had been closed. So it looks like there is conflicting information being passed on. At the end of the day as far as I understand it from lawyers that even if they were a for profit privately owned business they should still have the right to refuse to perform SSM under the constitution and Human rights. This has been the case with other businesses who have won their case such as Phillips with the Wedding Cake case.You need to vet your sources a little better. This old chestnut completely misrepresents what actually happened--basically it's a lie created to whip up anti-gay hysteria. The Hitching Post was a private wedding chapel run by a mail-order minister as a commercial business. When he refused to marry gay couples, noise started to be made about it. The Coeur d'Alene city attorney told the minister that as a commercial operation he was bound by public accommodation laws and could be subject to legal action if he refused to marry gays but that if he reorganized his business as a church the problem would go away--and that's what happened; the problem went away.
So it looks like the Christians won in the end. Why were you complaining about this case?According to the latest update on the case the City ended up paying the owners of the Hitching Post compensation for the time they had been closed. So it looks like there is conflicting information being passed on. At the end of the day as far as I understand it from lawyers that even if they were a for profit privately owned business they should still have the right to refuse to perform SSM under the constitution and Human rights. This has been the case with other businesses who have won their case such as Phillips with the Wedding Cake case.
Coeur d'Alene settles Hitching Post Chapel lawsuit
Coeur d'Alene settles Hitching Post Chapel lawsuit | krem.com
That depends what you mean by won. The real question should be why are Christians being attacked and taken to court or threatened to be taken to court and persecuted causing suffering whether they lose or win. If they have a right to religious freedom and to follow their conscience then why cause all this suffering in the first place. The fact that you ask the question as to why should I or anyone else complain is the problem. You can't even see that there is a problem.So it looks like the Christians won in the end. Why were you complaining about this case?
Why should Christians be exempt from the consequences of their public acts? When a person believes he has been harmed in some way by the behavior of another, it is often appropriate to seek relief in the courts. Should a Christian be out of his reach? Should Christians be exempt from criticism or social pressure that everyone else must face? How should a Christian resolve the conflict between his values and those of the larger society?That depends what you mean by won. The real question should be why are Christians being attacked and taken to court or threatened to be taken to court and persecuted causing suffering whether they lose or win. If they have a right to religious freedom and to follow their conscience then why cause all this suffering in the first place. The fact that you ask the question as to why should I or anyone else complain is the problem. You can't even see that there is a problem.
They are not all public acts. What a private school or business does is their business. They descriminate all the time regarding what sort of b usiness or organisation they want to carry out. The question should be according to the right to follow your conscience why should someone be made to follow or express something that their conscience is against. Why make someone write celebratory vows or create a Tshirt celebrating SSM when they fundelmentally oppose it. If someone asked a gay business person to create a cake promoting traditional marriage would they be forced to do it. Would they have the right to say no.Why should Christians be exempt from the consequences of their public acts?
Well yes a Christian should not be attacked and taken to court if they have a constitutional and human right to express their belief and follow their conscience. Just as some of the courts have found in favour of those being accused that the reason they chose not to accommodate the request from gay couples was not about hatred of them but that the request would require them to partipate, create and celebrate something that fundelmentally went against their conscience. The courts agrred and to force a person to go against their conscience like that is nothing short of a totalititarianism. Something we see regimes like North Korea do in forcing people up before the camera to read out something that the person does not believe.When a person believes he has been harmed in some way by the behavior of another, it is often appropriate to seek relief in the courts. Should a Christian be out of his reach? Should Christians be exempt from criticism or social pressure that everyone else must face? How should a Christian resolve the conflict between his values and those of the larger society?
Well yes a Christian should not be attacked and taken to court if they have a constitutional and human right to express their belief and follow their conscience. Just as some of the courts have found in favour of those being accused. The courts have found that a person should not be made to promote and even celebrate something they profoundly disagree with according to their conscience. To force a person to do so is nothing short of a totalititarianism.
The problem is the way the Marriage laws have been changed was done wrong. SSM could have been accommodated in other ways where the traditional meaning of marriage was upheld. Both forms of mariage could have been supported and then there would not have been this problem of a continual confliect between the two positions.
But as a result people are being attacked simply for holding the belief and view of traditional marriage between a man and a women. Now a doctor, minister, priest or citizen only has to mention they believe traditional marriage which is an idea that has been supported by believers and non-believers for 100s of years up until 5 years ago across a whole variety of cultures and times, is increasingly becoming a truth which cannot be spoken.
I suspect it is still widely supported by many are afraid to acknowledge it. In fact it has many similarities to the gender/transgender ideology about claiming that there is only a man and women. Its part of the same ideology that wants to dismantle the traditional family, male and femals, mothers and fathers, boys and girls which is the foundation of any strong society.
Yes, they should be taken to court. Under the law, the exact boundaries of religious freedoms are determined in the courts. "following my conscience" is not a get out of it card. If a Christian discriminates, say, in violation of the law he will be brought to court just like a non-Christian and there is no reason why he shouldn't be. "You can't charge me with discrimination--I'm a Christian." So what?Well yes a Christian should not be attacked and taken to court if they have a constitutional and human right to express their belief and follow their conscience.
So it looks like the boundaries are being determined.Just as some of the courts have found in favour of those being accused that the reason they chose not to accommodate the request from gay couples was not about hatred of them but that the request would require them to partipate, create and celebrate something that fundelmentally went against their conscience. The courts agrred and to force a person to go against their conscience like that is nothing short of a totalititarianism. Something we see regimes like North Korea do in forcing people up before the camera to read out something that the person does not believe.
The state authorizes only one kind of marriage--and have extended it to gays. It is a purely civil arrangement which does not change or interfere with any traditional practices within your faith group. Christians don't own the term "marriage" and cannot define for others what it means.The problem is the way the Marriage laws have been changed was done wrong. SSM could have been accommodated in other ways where the traditional meaning of marriage was upheld. Both forms of mariage could have been supported and then there would not have been this problem of a continual confliect between the two positions.
But the law also statesYes, they should be taken to court. Under the law, the exact boundaries of religious freedoms are determined in the courts. "following my conscience" is not a get out of it card. If a Christian discriminates, say, in violation of the law he will be brought to court just like a non-Christian and there is no reason why he shouldn't be. "You can't charge me with discrimination--I'm a Christian." So what?
If thats the case why do they keep bringing people before the courts for the same issues that have already been determined. PLus the issue had been determined well before anyone was taken to court in the First Amendment and Human Rights.So it looks like the boundaries are being determined.
Yet the redefining of marriage has now made it it line with gays and in doing so has discounted traditional marriage. Now traditional marriage is regarded as illegal to promote and to an increasing number is a form of bigotry.The state authorizes only one kind of marriage--and have extended it to gays. It is a purely civil arrangement which does not change or interfere with any traditional practices within your faith group. Christians don't own the term "marriage" and cannot define for others what it means.
That particular post you highlighted is about a specific example where the outcome supported the religion and believers to not have to go along with SSM. But there are many cases where the people have been forced to conform and have had to close down or stop that part of their service.So I take it from the section that I have bolded that you are dropping your claim that churches are being forced to perform SSM against their wishes?
No one is saying that Christian marriage should be the only marriage available. But what your failing to see is that with the current laws and definition changes has more or less made traditional marriage illegal. That is why many supporters of traditional marriage including non-religious ones were opposed to the way the changes happened. They predicted that these attacks on traditional marriage would happen and no one listened and now we are seeing it happening on a regular basis.Of course, the trouble is that Christians do not have a monopoly on marriage. There are many kinds of non-Christian marriage out there, both secular and religious. It's a violation of separation of church and state to claim that marriage must mean the Christian definition.
Yes I agree that people can expect disagreement and name calling under free speech but not actions that destroy lives and deny people to live with their beliefs. As I said in todays PC environment even expressing that you support traditional marriage is not being allowed by more and more people and outlets and this can lead to people losing privileges, being demoted, closed down, losing benefits, being attacked on social media , threatened and even getting sacked IEThey have freedom of speech, which means that if someone believes that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, they have the right to say so. But that same freedom of speech means that anyone else can listen to what they say and then call them out on it. People have freedom of speech. They do not have freedom from consequences of that speech.
Then you are very naive. The above examples are just a small portion of what is happening. Think about it. If its now law that the definition of marriage is between two people then promoting marriage as between a male and female is opposing that law.Again with the fearmongering. No one is trying to dismantle the "traditional family" of a mother, father, and kids. People are just starting to understand that there are many different ways a family can be, and they are calling out the people who are saying, "No, it can only be this way!"
I really don’t think you are thinking this through and are being realistic. It would be nice if it was that way but it hasn’t been that way for many and I can only see it getting worse. Many traditionalist will have their lives made hard, will be excluded, and their position becoming increasingly untenable.Remember, it can still be the way it has always been. It's just that now we are realising that the way it has always been isn't the only way it can be.
Correct. And that is exactly what is happening. Giving Christians a pass on complying with public accommodation and discrimination laws would violate the 1st Amendment.But the law also states
Human Rights Article 9: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching practice and observance.
The First Amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and also restricting an individual's religious practices.
Cases vary in details and the laws in question are often state and local and must be tried locally.If thats the case why do they keep bringing people before the courts for the same issues that have already been determined.
The issue is not determined until it is taken to court. The court is where it will be determined whether you have violated public accommodation or discrimination laws. You can't just declare yourself not guilty because you're a Christian.PLus the issue had been determined well before anyone was taken to court in the First Amendment and Human Rights.
That is so wrong and disconnected from reality that I can't even call it a fib.Yet the redefining of marriage has now made it it line with gays and in doing so has discounted traditional marriage. Now traditional marriage is regarded as illegal to promote and to an increasing number is a form of bigotry.
But as a result people are being attacked simply for holding the belief and view of traditional marriage between a man and a women.
There is a few problems with associating traditional marriage only with the Christian position. If you look up the definition of traditional marriage you will find it is between a man and women which is the same as the Christian definition. This definition has been well recognised in western cultures for 100's or years by both Christians and non-Christians. I think when you say traditional marriage you are not just talking about the Christian definition but also politically a conservative one. It more or less is a universal meaning.I think that you mean 'the current Christian view as to what is a traditional marriage'. Don't restrict the debate to definitions that only apply to you (and others that hold the same views). 'Traditional marriage' is a moveable feast. A term that changes with the ages, with geography and with personal interpretation. Always has been. I reject your claim to it.
Not allowing a person the freedom to follow their conscience is also a violation of the 1st Amendment and human rights. It’s funny how you only see one side of the rights issue. Seems there’s a bit of bias there.Correct. And that is exactly what is happening. Giving Christians a pass on complying with public accommodation and discrimination laws would violate the 1st Amendment.
It’s not about being a Christian. The people involved could be any religion. The point is they are protected under the 1st Amendment as stated above. It should not have to be continually rehashed with the same situations which have been happening.Cases vary in details and the laws in question are often state and local and must be tried locally. The issue is not determined until it is taken to court. The court is where it will be determined whether you have violated public accommodation or discrimination laws. You can't just declare yourself not guilty because you're a Christian.
Then you must be living on another planet to myself and many others and even legal experts and judges themselves. IEThat is so wrong and disconnected from reality that I can't even call it a fib.
Should a Christian baker have the right to refuse service to a Muslim who wants the Shahada written on his cake?Yet it’s funny how none of these acts amount to discrimination. I would have thought that if someone was denied a service just because they support traditional marriage then that would be similar to denying a service for someone who supports SSM. Yet the same doesn’t apply in many cases and people are happy to remain silent on this. It seems a little hypocritical to me.
That's really over the top, but I have to admit if it was true it would be hard not to take some pleasure in seeing religious conservatives being handed back what they have been dishing out for so many years.And it is a logical conclusion when you think about it. Just look at all the examples where people, businesses and organisations that even have a religious basis are attacked, threatened by governments and other authorities and litigated. I mean just proclaiming you support traditional marriage now can lead to getting the sack and losing sponsors, tax exemptions, dangerous threats, reputations damaged.