The most recent example is the whole issue that Arizona just ran through. The Arizona Senate was trying to pass a bill that would prevent religious store owners or businesspeople from being taken to court for denying someone business based upon religious belief. The idea is good, trying to keep religious liberty alive (which I feel is going to be a lot harder than it sounds). But a bill so broad is just crying to be misinterpreted.
The "problem" comes originally from multiple law suits of Christian business owners politely "refusing" business from homosexuals, but not because they were homosexual, rather, because they did not want to play an active role in a homosexual marriage. It was nothing against the person, or people, or the way that the people look, act, or even just the way they live. It was just a stand on the businesspersons moral compass.
The argument I keep hearing is that if you change the word "homosexual" to "interracial" you will see how bigoted and stupid the argument sounds. And they're right! If you change the words it does sound more bigoted. And I understand that people feel it discriminatory, and for all I know it very well could be. My problem with it lies much further below that. I don't like the idea of denying anybody business on any grounds. It seems silly and somewhat rude to me. My problem goes to the idea of "treat others as you would like to be treated".
Both sides of the argument need to pause and think to themselves what they are really doing. Yes, as christians, we believe that homosexual activity, not desires, are a sin in the same sense that we believe unchaste behavior is a sin. (let me reinforce what I just said, we believe that it is NOT a sin to have homosexual desires, drives or feelings just as much as we do not believe it is a sin to have any sort of sexual feelings, in the action lies the sin.) But we also believe that Christ served all men, regardless of what they had done or what they were doing. I don't know that I would be comfortable working a homosexual wedding as a photographer, but I've never been asked and seeing as I am not a photographer probably never will be.
But across the aisle, it is not all innocent either! I understand the desire for equality, and being treated with fairness and love. As a conservative, mormon student at a very liberal somewhat (but only sometimes) anti-mormon college (more from students than professors, but the professors can encourage it sometimes) I understand the feeling of wanting to be treated fairly as a person because of who I am, not because of what I do outside of school. But that is my point exactly, stop taking people to court for attempting to live their religion, even if you feel the religion is intolerant or disrespectful.
That's where I have the real problem it's not people wanting equal rights, or even taking others to court, my problem is with singling out someone based upon their beliefs and taking advantage of them. Just because you an win a court case because your beliefs are different than your opponents doesn't mean you should do it. Heck, I don't think any person should make it as far as court with a sexual orientation vs. religion case. If you're old enough to take someone to court, you're old enough to get over yourself and find another baker!
I'm sorry if that comes off intolerant, I have nothing against the lgbt community, I do however have something against persecution in any form. I don't think anyone should be persecuted for believing in god, or the bible, and I don't believe anyone should be persecuted based upon which gender they are attracted to. Stop it!
In all, we need to learn to not favor one group, or seek favor for our group in any way shape or form but especially in the legal area of things! I cannot wait for the day when we no longer need anti-discrimination laws, or the need for laws that "protect" religion. Until that day though, can we try to be adults and respect one another? Let's start by not force-feeding ideas and beliefs using federal and state governments as the spoon.
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