Posted on 04/17/2015 7:51:33 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
First case I know of since the gay rights/religious liberty debate sharpened up over the last few years where a Christian business owner threatened to refuse all service to gay — or “openly gay,” i.e. affection-displaying — clients rather than service for gay weddings specifically. Although, strictly speaking, this isn’t a “religious liberty” case: There are no state or local laws where this guy lives that require him to serve gays. He can refuse for any reason he likes, religious or not. I wonder if it occurred to him when he was posting to Facebook that what he wrote, and the attention it was bound to receive, might make those laws more likely to happen now.
Elizabeth Scalia, a.k.a. The Anchoress, sides with righties on religious liberty but had some sharp questions a few weeks ago for business owners who draw a special moral line in refusing service to gays.
If a couple that is shacking up wants to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their moving in together, and comes to you for the celebration cake, are you baking it, or are you saying, “I’m sorry, but my religious conscience forbids it; I don’t want to be seen as giving even tacit support that sinful lifestyle which is negatively affecting society?”
If someone is throwing a “divorce party” (as some do) or remarrying without an annulment, are you arranging the flowers, or are you saying, “I’m sorry, but Jesus is incredibly clear about divorce and remarriage, and if I arranged these flowers for you, I would be dishonoring his teaching?”
If an unwed mother wants her baby photographed, are you photographing it, or are you saying, “I’m sorry, I believe a child is entitled to a mother and a father, and this person has clearly sinned against fornication, and I don’t wish to be seen as advocating and encouraging all this?” Would you figure “we’re all sinners and this is a one-off”, and — in charity — take the picture? What about if she comes back two years later, with another child from different father? Then, what will your conscience say?
Incidentally, there’s no evidence that this guy actually has refused service to openly gay customers. He’s stating what he would do if the situation presented itself, just like the owners of Memories Pizza in Indiana did when asked by a reporter if they’d cater a gay wedding. The fact that mere hypotheticals about refusing service to gays are now sufficient to justify entire news segments demonstrates how total the gay-rights movement’s cultural victory is. Either that or local news has gotten so desperate for “outrage” fixes to fill the demand for easy, buzzworthy content that they’re willing to pluck any random politically incorrect statement off of Facebook and give it three minutes of airtime.
Actually, I guess we know the answer to that, don’t we?
Exit question: After the Memories Pizza fiasco, why would any business owner want to broadcast his refusal to serve gays? This story was already picked up by lefty outlets like Think Progress this morning; the guy’s business is bound to be protested at a minimum. A lefty friend told me today that, while he thought the Memories Pizza Truthers were ridiculous, he really does think the only obvious explanation here is that the business owner is trying to bait gays into protesting him, hoping that social conservatives will rally behind him with some of that tasty GoFundMe sympathy lucre. If that’s the strategy, this guy’s taking a big risk: Conservatives are more likely to sympathize with a business that’s refusing to serve gay weddings specifically than gay customers categorically. Remember this poll? Even Republicans on balance said business owners shouldn’t have the religious right to deny service to gays altogether. He might get some solidarity cash if a boycott is organized against him, but who knows how much? And who would want that kind of aggravation?
He should be able to refuse business to anyone for any reason with no explanation needed. Someone else can open a business that will cater to or refuse others.
Unfortunately the turdburglar lobby is no different than the anti smoking lobby who managed to force every bar owner in the state to prohibit smoking in their businesses. They could have easily opened bars that catered to non smokers but they didn’t because forcing all to their will was their true goal.
Homosexuality is a particular sort of very unnatural behavior. It belongs in the category of a sow eating her piglets, or Tom cats killing kittens. It is a blatant rejection of the natural order of things. It is virulently abnormal.
In the Bible, several cities are utterly destroyed as a result of Homosexuality. I can only regard this as a measure of God's vehemence on the subject.
Part of me thinks these people are planted by leftist agitators to try to whip up conversation. The militant homosexual lobby is doing everything in their power to keep the issue of “gay rights” at the forefront of every media outlet from the Internet to print and TV.
Normal, everyday, average Americans are going to go about their business without openly discriminating. When you have incidents like this, you’re feeding the homosexual trolls who want to have red meat at their disposal. They need to feed the masses this idea that “white heterosexual male Americans are racist, bigoted homophobes.”
If someone fixes Ossama Bin Laden's car, is he supporting Bin Laden? Yes. Anything which furthers the goals of people whom are against you, supports them.
Do you believe someone should fix cars for Neo Nazis? I think it is each individual's right to decide whether or not they will assist someone who supports ideas contrary to their own.
I have no use for either "Allahpundit" or Poppin' Fresh. The last thing we need in this country is more moderate Libertarians.
Not nearly as many as were destroyed for worshiping false gods.
I'll stack up several thousand years of Human history against these Liberal social fads any day of the week.
There is more than one way to raise the wrath of God, but in the case of Homosexuality, he used fire. Twice. Again, I take this as a measure of his seriousness regarding the subject.
I agree with you.
In a sane world discrimination simply opens up new business opportunities for those who don’t discriminate.
Again, the anti smoking nazis proved that their reflex to impose behavior modification on all is economically destructive. Bars across the state reported an average revenue drops of around 30% and many ended up closing their doors.
However in that case, bar owners weren’t excluding non smokers. It was the non smokers making the demands.
I'd put up a sign -- "No shoes, no shirt, no codpiece -- no service!"
Just say you won’t fix the Prius and you’d get it done without all the drama.
RE: “openly gay” customers”
How does one know if you are “openly gay”?
I have a “gaydar” that tells me that a person is most likely gay just by the way he talks, but that does not always work.
RE: Just say you won’t fix the Prius and you’d get it done without all the drama.
Hey, no fair, I drive a Prius ( bought it second hand from my non-gay liberal relative ).
he and every other shop owner is covered by the thirteenth amendment:
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
“involuntary servitude” - if he doesn’t want to do the work, he doesn’t have to
A major study had found that gays are less then 2% of the population? Yet, we need to hear about or even see this whole gay thing EVERY DAY? Go be gay, I don’t care. You’d think they are the majority with news, TV etc..
So, why didn’t the 13th amendment protect, Barronelle Stutzman, the grandma and business owner of Arlene’s Flowers?
He can boycott gays, and I can boycott him.
A guy went to a muslim bakery and asked for a same-sex wedding cake. He refused and the media ignored it.
Maybe it’s a gerbil.
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