Government to Ordained Ministers: Celebrate Same-Sex Wedding or Go to Jail

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

We aren't talking about a Church though, we are talking about a public business. NO ONE is demanding that churches be made to perform same sex weddings, and if they are... they're an idiot.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Some of us never learn, do we? LOL Best wishes to your brother and his rather expensive hobby.

Well, credit where credit is due, I guess that there are some folks who do follow what they profess to believe.

There are many who do not, however.

And speaking of that, take a look at the Hitchin' Post Wedding Chapel site ...

Not a single thing there about divorce, or pre-marriage counseling, or God's Rules for marriage ...

There is a price list though! Lots of really cool packages are offered! Just like any other business.

A Menu of Services at the Hitchin' Post

Yep, just like any other business.

When it is done on churches, when government starts dictating to religions, I wonder if you all will still support government then.

Many of you appear fine with this simply because of their tax status.

If churches had their tax status changed, would you still cheer government imposition?

originally posted by: windword
a reply to: Bone75

What doctrine or scripture prevents Christians from serving gay people?

See that's where you guys keep getting this issue twisted. The Bible doesn't say that you can't serve sinners, in fact there's a chapter in there that specifically says not to worry about the sins of those you're selling to, I just can't remember where it is at the moment.

Its not about who you're selling to, its about what you're selling. Gay marriage changes the product, maybe not physically, but it changes it none the less. A wedding cake used to be something used to celebrate the union of a man and a woman, that's not the case anymore.

a reply to: Gryphon66

I can star you for that and agree 100%. There are a ton of those who call themselves something they are not. They will bend the "rules" for some and not for others and those people... I have no pity for. They get what they get. In reality there should be no church sanctioned, ministered wedding for divorced people whose spouses are still living. Refusing to marry gay people, then allowing divorced people to wed is in essence doing the same exact thing they say they are against. If they have no problem doing one, they should not have a problem doing the other. A sin is a sin is a sin. Preaching one is not greater than another only to turn around and treat it as such is hypocrisy on a whole other level.

On that I do absolutely agree. Most of those people do seem to love throwing faux outrage tantrums whenever they get the chance. They do seem to look for persecution when there is none. I don't waste my time on those people and neither should anyone else IMO.

And yes... It has been a very expensive hobby for him. He is only 42. Being a flaming alcoholic hasn't helped his case any either. I foresee a few more ventures into the marriage market before he's dead or just gives up on it.

a reply to: Bone75

Then close the doors of your business that benefits from being in the public eye, that sits on a lot with a paved sidewalk access on a paved road with pipes for water and sewerage and wiring running from the street into the building... all funded by the public. Pack it all in, go get your contracting license and get all your business from the parishioners of the church you attend. Simple.

a reply to: Kali74

A "public" business is a business run by the state.

Who pays the water bill, rent, electricity, etc., not you. Not the government. Not "the public", comrade.

To quote our president "you didn't build that", meaning the PUBLIC.

A privately owned business it just that, private, you enter as a guest, and only have the rights of a guest.

And yes, I know there's a multitude of illegal laws saying otherwise.

A business-customer relationship is mutual, unless the business recieves state funding, the business and customer owe each other nothing, until they take up business with eachother, which is a voluntary agreement between free people.

a reply to: Kali74

Hey Kali... newsflash. 80% of this country identify as Christian. Less than 5% identify as gay. So you tell me who's paying for all those things.

a reply to: TurtleSmacker

Okay I'll indulge your tears and amend to 'a business open to the public'.

a reply to: Bone75

Tyranny of the majority? That's not very American.

Gay must be the new black.

Sad that we always seem to need to find one group of people who we can justify screwing over.

a reply to: Hefficide
Why can't government stay out of mandating tenets of faith?

a reply to: beezzer

What does legal marriage have to do with faith?

originally posted by: Hefficide
a reply to: beezzer

What does legal marriage have to do with faith?

According to some tenets of some religions, they tend to frown on same-sex marriage.

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: Hefficide
Why can't government stay out of mandating tenets of faith?

They aren't mandating tenets of faith. The government is setting rules of acceptable business practices. They do that all the time, including protecting consumers by setting standards for fees and other such things.

As for your previous question, I don't think anyone here believes the same standard could be applied to church weddings, regardless of their tax status. I think a church can do anything they want, within reason, in their places of worship. If that included not marrying gay folks.....so be it. That's part of their beliefs.

The public venue is a completely separate matter.

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Slippery slope.

It's a very slippery slope.

If we start accepting this, then it's only a small step to the state mandating what goes on inside of religious institutions.

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: sheepslayer247

Slippery slope.

It's a very slippery slope.

If we start accepting this, then it's only a small step to the state mandating what goes on inside of religious institutions.

The minute that happens, I would be right beside you defending the right of religious practice. I bet almost all of us would.

a reply to: beezzer

When it is done on churches, when government starts dictating to religions, I wonder if you all will still support government then.

Let me know what it is and when it happens please.

Many of you appear fine with this simply because of their tax status.

Are you saying that because those guys are ministers they should get special business exemptions? If so please let me know what those exemptions are because I believe for the low cost of 50 bucks I can become an ordained minister to the church of the flying spaghetti monster.

More than just preferred parking spots. cool.

If churches had their tax status changed, would you still cheer government imposition?

Well at least they could become involved in politics then endorse the politicians they favor however they are already trying to do that.

a reply to: beezzer

Accepting what has always been? It just happens to now include gays, if you can't handle it open a business unrelated to gay marriage or decide to not offer your services to the public. Do you not know the Constitution? Do you really want to go back to the unrest of the Civil Rights movement? Or are we finally going to concede that 'public' means everyone?

There was a time when churches and religious institutions in the USA were fiercely opposed to interracial marriage. Black and white men and women marrying? OMG!... The horror... Some still struggle with that issue.

Our creator created us all, all races, genders, and man created religions. Do you really believe that a benevolent God would want any person to feel discriminated against for something as trivial as sexual preferences, or race? That people who sincerely love one another are condemned because they are of the same gender?

I got inside information for you, souls on the other side of this life have NO gender.

Whether we accept it or not there is always going to be a consistent
percentage of same sex relations in humans. There will always be a high percentage of heterosexual relations that produce children.

It's time for people of man made and controlled religions to accept reality.

imo