“A businessman should be able to choose his customers, just as a customer ought to be able to choose a business.
If I want to rent out part of my home as an apartment, for example, I shouldn’t be forced to rent to anyone at all. The fact that the law now requires that is why I will never have an apartment in my house.”
But at the same time, if you’re going to publicly advertise to the public that they’re welcome to rent your house, but restrict certain parts of the public, then it’s false advertising. It’s like if I opened up a family restaurant and then refused entry to divorced men and women, citing my personal beliefs about divorce. If something’s open to the public, which all businesses are, you’re in business because the market and the public has a demand for a certain product and you decided to tap that market. Unless you’re running a private club or a church, you have no right to refuse anybody from buying your particular product. If you’re using resources that the public pays for like roads, the electric grid, currency and the sewer system, then not only are you falsely advertising your product, you’re also using the electric grid, the sewer and water system and the public roads to falsely advertise your product. Simple as that. Again, you’re not in business to promote your beliefs, you’re there to sell your wares and services for publicly minted currency.
“for no other reason than they’re different.”
“How about because they violate what I believe are God’s laws?”
You should read Lk. 6:31; Matt. 7:12., Matt. 22:39, Eph. 2:14-22 and Gal. 3:28. God created ALL people in his image. A Christian wouldn’t discriminate. BTW, nice red herring you threw up there. I mentioned nothing about buggery or homosexuality.
“But at the same time, if you’re going to publicly advertise to the public that they’re welcome to rent your house, but restrict certain parts of the public, then it’s false advertising.”
But if you advertise that you reserve the right to reject any applicant for any reason, what then?
“Unless you’re running a private club or a church, you have no right to refuse anybody from buying your particular product.”
Under current law, yes. Prior to the 1960s, that was not true - most businesses reserved the right to refuse service to anyone.
“God created ALL people in his image”.
Then man fell. And we are NOT all children of God.
“A Christian wouldn’t discriminate.”
If his goal is to collect money on time, not renting to someone he suspects is a deadbeat would be a good idea. If his goal is to honor God, then renting a basement apartment to homosexuals, or pastors wanting a place to shack up, would NOT be good. A morals clause used to be common in renting rooms. Prior to the 60s...
“No, you don’t advertise your house as being open to the public nor do you charge admission for people to enter your house.”
But my home receives the benefit of sewers, roads, etc - so what gives me the right to do what I want and to believe what I want?
By your argument, anyone who receives any public benefit must conform to what the public wants. Thus you have wedding photographers being sued if they refuse to photograph the weddings of homosexuals.
What gives a church the right to refuse to marry homosexuals, if the church is located on a public road?