In three prior posts I expressed my concerns regarding the defense the pro Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADL) will be presenting to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) when their client Jack Phillips' case goes before them.
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5093991&viewfull=1#post5093991
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5094364&viewfull=1#post5094364
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5094448&viewfull=1#post5094448
My point is that it is of the utmost importance that a free society have religious freedom, and that freedom shouldn't be watered down by tying it in with the supposed right to 'artistic expression'.
I'll address the last argument point by point.
4 Key Arguments We Are Making To Defend Jack Phillips At The Supreme Court
https://adflegal.org/detailspages/b...-to-defend-jack-phillips-at-the-supreme-court
by Sarah Kramer, August 31, 2017
[4]The government cannot declare that certain beliefs are unacceptable and push them out of the public square.
Sure it can, that's what government i.e. laws are all about: to curtail the actions of a person, based on that person's beliefs; actions that government, i.e. laws deem immoral. Remember that all laws have a moral teaching: Either they say "thou shalt, or thou shalt not". Since homosexuality was made legal by various States and through the bogus Lawrence v Texas SCOTUS ruling, homosexuality falls under the "thou shalt" category.
In a righteous society abortion, homosexuality, adultery and pornography would be illegal. A person can believe that they have a right to engage in those behaviors, but that doesn't mean they have a right to take action on those beliefs.
When the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges to redefine marriage, it was careful to note that the freedom of individuals to hold to “decent and honorable religious” beliefs about marriage must also be upheld. Most major religions believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. One Supreme Court decision does not make this belief any less valid—and the Court recognized that.
The dissenting SCOTUS Justices in Obergefell v Hodges saw the ruling as a huge red flag on religious freedom.
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5083715&viewfull=1#post5083715
Again: you can believe that homosexuality and thus homosexual faux marriage is wrong, but you can't take actions on those beliefs.
If the government is permitted to decide which beliefs are acceptable, that should concern us all. Cultures and governments change, and it could be your ideas or beliefs that the government targets next – which is why we must advocate for the freedom of all to peacefully live and work according to their beliefs, regardless of whether we agree.
Ah, the coexist/Rodney King's "Why can't we all just get along?" mentality. In order to coexist Ms. Kramer, someone has to give up their values/beliefs and thus their actions based on those values/beliefs.
It doesn’t matter where you stand on same-sex marriage. That’s not what this case is about. This case is about the freedom to live and work according to your deeply held beliefs. If you want that freedom for yourself – then supporting Jack is a no-brainer.
This case is about a Christian baker who refused to cater to the homosexual agenda. While it appears that the ADL wants to water down the importance of religious freedom to win this case, I would prefer that Christian and baker Jack Phillips lose this case so that a precedent isn't set that would ultimately lessen the importance of religious freedom.
On more thing: I keep reading where Christians who refused to cater to homosexual wedding events (florists, bakers, etc.) tell the proud and unrepentant sinners businesses that will cater to their immoral actions.
What's with that?
That's like security personnel on the Golden Gate Bridge telling someone who is going to jump to their death that he or she can't do it on their bridge, but gives directions to another bridge where the person can do himself in.
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/11/26/34/2451246/7/1024x1024.jpg
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5093991&viewfull=1#post5093991
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5094364&viewfull=1#post5094364
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5094448&viewfull=1#post5094448
My point is that it is of the utmost importance that a free society have religious freedom, and that freedom shouldn't be watered down by tying it in with the supposed right to 'artistic expression'.
I'll address the last argument point by point.
4 Key Arguments We Are Making To Defend Jack Phillips At The Supreme Court
https://adflegal.org/detailspages/b...-to-defend-jack-phillips-at-the-supreme-court
by Sarah Kramer, August 31, 2017
[4]The government cannot declare that certain beliefs are unacceptable and push them out of the public square.
Sure it can, that's what government i.e. laws are all about: to curtail the actions of a person, based on that person's beliefs; actions that government, i.e. laws deem immoral. Remember that all laws have a moral teaching: Either they say "thou shalt, or thou shalt not". Since homosexuality was made legal by various States and through the bogus Lawrence v Texas SCOTUS ruling, homosexuality falls under the "thou shalt" category.
In a righteous society abortion, homosexuality, adultery and pornography would be illegal. A person can believe that they have a right to engage in those behaviors, but that doesn't mean they have a right to take action on those beliefs.
When the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges to redefine marriage, it was careful to note that the freedom of individuals to hold to “decent and honorable religious” beliefs about marriage must also be upheld. Most major religions believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. One Supreme Court decision does not make this belief any less valid—and the Court recognized that.
The dissenting SCOTUS Justices in Obergefell v Hodges saw the ruling as a huge red flag on religious freedom.
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...ized!-Part-4&p=5083715&viewfull=1#post5083715
Again: you can believe that homosexuality and thus homosexual faux marriage is wrong, but you can't take actions on those beliefs.
If the government is permitted to decide which beliefs are acceptable, that should concern us all. Cultures and governments change, and it could be your ideas or beliefs that the government targets next – which is why we must advocate for the freedom of all to peacefully live and work according to their beliefs, regardless of whether we agree.
Ah, the coexist/Rodney King's "Why can't we all just get along?" mentality. In order to coexist Ms. Kramer, someone has to give up their values/beliefs and thus their actions based on those values/beliefs.
It doesn’t matter where you stand on same-sex marriage. That’s not what this case is about. This case is about the freedom to live and work according to your deeply held beliefs. If you want that freedom for yourself – then supporting Jack is a no-brainer.
This case is about a Christian baker who refused to cater to the homosexual agenda. While it appears that the ADL wants to water down the importance of religious freedom to win this case, I would prefer that Christian and baker Jack Phillips lose this case so that a precedent isn't set that would ultimately lessen the importance of religious freedom.
On more thing: I keep reading where Christians who refused to cater to homosexual wedding events (florists, bakers, etc.) tell the proud and unrepentant sinners businesses that will cater to their immoral actions.
What's with that?
That's like security personnel on the Golden Gate Bridge telling someone who is going to jump to their death that he or she can't do it on their bridge, but gives directions to another bridge where the person can do himself in.
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/11/26/34/2451246/7/1024x1024.jpg