Posted on 06/10/2012 2:51:07 PM PDT by markomalley
Christians are finding it increasingly difficult to practice their faith in the public sphere, as a number of recent cases demonstrate.
In New Mexico the Court of Appeals ruled that the refusal by a photo studio to photograph a same-sex couple is a breach of the state’s Human Rights Act, the Albuquerque Journal reported, June 5.
In 2006 Vanessa Willock asked Elaine Huguenin of Elane Photography if she would take pictures of a “same-gender ceremony.” She was told the studio only handled “traditional weddings.”
The studio also lost previous rulings by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission in 2008 and by District Judge Alan Malott in 2009.
The studio argued that their refusal to photograph a same-sex ceremony was not discrimination, but was motivated by the religious and moral beliefs of the owners.
The courts, however, ruled that as a business that provides services to the public it cannot refuse to serve on the basis of not only race, religion, color, and nationality, but also sex or sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The issue of Christians and same-sex unions is also a hot topic in England, as the government considers whether or not to legalize same-sex marriage. Christians are facing difficulties in defending their view, as the decidedly non-religious Economist magazine pointed out in its June 2 print edition.
Diversity
In March, it explained, a lobby group, Christian Concern, booked rooms for its conference at the Law Society. Their booking was cancelled on May 11 due to their position on same-sex marriage. They then booked at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Center, and once more, it was later cancelled as: “The event would conflict with our policy on diversity.”
Most Christian churches, Jews and almost all Muslims do believe that sex belongs inside heterosexual marriage only, the Economist pointed out. “Does diversity cover that?,” it asked.
Catholic schools in Wales ran into trouble when they were informed they could be breaking the law by inviting their students to sign a petition protesting the government’s proposal to legalize same-sex marriage, the Telegraph newspaper reported May 9.
Leighton Andrews, the Welsh Assembly Government minister for education and skill, said that the call to oppose a change in the law could constitute a “political” act, which is prohibited by the 1996 Education Act.
He not only directed schools in Wales to give pupils a “balanced” view on the same-sex marriage issue but he also ordered that they must tell pupils about his intervention.
“Our position remains that this is a religious view not a political view,” Maeve McCormack, policy manger for the Catholic Education Service, told the Telegraph.
Free speech on the issue of homosexuality also suffered a blow when in England Adrian Smith lost his appeal against a 2011 decision by his employer to demote him due to comments he posted on his Facebook page.
In his own time he posted his criticism about the government’s plans to allow same-sex marriages in churches. The posting, visible only to his friends on Facebook, led the Trafford Housing Trust to demote him from his £35,000 a year managerial post to a more junior £21,000 position, the Telegraph newspaper reported, last October 24.
Subsequently, on March 21, the Christian Institute reported that District Judge Charles Khan, at Manchester County Court, ruled that Smith could not use human rights arguments in his legal case against his employer.
He plans to continue his case, which could be heard sometime in the coming months, according to the Christian Institute.
Double rooms
The decision came shortly after another appeal loss, by the Christian owners of a Cornish hotel who sought to reverse a 2011 decision regarding their policy of restricting double rooms to married couples.
Peter and Hazelmary Bull took their case to the Court of Appeal, following the court order to pay damages in January 2011 to civil partners Steven Preddy and Martyn Hall, but they lost the case, the BBC reported February 10.
Later, on March 12, the BBC reported that the couple was considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.
“In a country where Christians can be sacked for manifesting their faith, are vilified by State bodies, are in fear of reprisal or even arrest for expressing their views on sexual ethics, something is very wrong,” warned Lord Carey, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, recently.
His warning was contained in a submission to the European Court of Human Rights regarding a case to be heard in September, the Telegraph newspaper reported April 13.
The hearing encompasses a number of cases, including a counselor sacked for saying that he was not be comfortable in giving sex therapy to homosexual couples, and a Christian registrar, who did not want to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.
Courts in Britain, Lord Carey said, have “consistently applied equality law to discriminate against Christians.” A situation certainly not limited to Britain and one that is rapidly spreading.
“In 2006 Vanessa Willock asked Elaine Huguenin of Elane Photography if she would take pictures of a “same-gender ceremony.” She was told the studio only handled “traditional weddings.””
Good to see that some Good Christians stand-up for what they believe and refuse service to the Sodomites.
I’m sure “do as thou wilt” libertarians will be right on this denial of individual freedom./s/
A clear example of discrimination with Sodomite Agenda Sycophants refusing service to Christians.
Photograph them on junk film so it never turns out right and gleefully refund their money ! then get a sign and put it in your window that reads christian friendly or just take a nice glossy poeter size picture of a cross and put that in the window Christians know what a cross is for and what it symbolizes ...
Since sodomite “marriage” is illegal in NM, how can anyone be pressed into photographing an illegal activity?
Smarter to say you’ll do it, show up with outdated film, or the wrong ASA, take photos and “forget” to take the lenscap off...sabotage the event passively, and teach them not to set you up for a crappy lawsuit.
Come on folks, get with the program.
The consequences for embracing same sex marriage are far worse.
“Smarter to say you’ll do it, show up with outdated film, or the wrong ASA, take photos and “forget” to take the lenscap off...sabotage the event passively...”
Not a bad idea.
They could maybe even get Good Christians to protest the location where the Sodomite Marriage and later on protest the house where the Sodomite Lesbians shack-up.
As for the pictures, instead of sending them the real pictures of the “wedding,” send them pictures of a real wedding and a few Bible verses.
Take the real pictures of the Sodomite Lesbian wedding and post them in all around the town with big bold letters reading “Sodomites!”
I’m deeply worried about the way we are headed on this issue and the reason is the youth. Hollywood and the public schools have created a young population that does not have traditional believes about marriage. Polls bear that out. As those folks age and my generation ages out (so to speak) more and more of the country will look like Massachusetts. We have to find a way to block Hollywood and the public schools hold on so many of the young before it is too late.
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelations 6:9-11
It has been foretold that it will get much worse than losing a job, or being scorned by neighbors.
Many Christians and a few FReepers celebrated the infringement of private property rights that laid the foundation for these actions. The smoking bans took away a business’ right of association. Now these folks can choke on governmental dictating to them which customers they must cater too....
Private property rights were stolen with much fanfare....now the results are starting to become evident.
John 15:18-24 (NLT):
18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.
To confort, as those “youth” age out themselves, they too, will mellow out and go CONSERVATIVE.
Plus also when folks go out into the REAL world they become “realists”.
Remember WI!
Taking back America has started!
Yep. If people don't believe what the Bible says, then it's hard to convince them to adhere to it, isn't it?
That's why homosexuals will win this battle--I'm convinced of it.
The good news, though, is that I've read the end of the Book, and I know who wins the war.
The Christians WILL WIN NOT ONLY the WAR, but in time, the battles.
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