An Oregon bakery was found guilty of discrimination and ordered to pay $135,000 in emotional damages for refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, the business owners claiming that such an act would violate their “religious beliefs” against gay marriage.
The phrase “deeply held religious beliefs” has taken center stage in several recent legal battles — most notably in the Hobby Lobby birth control case, and again when a photographer in New Mexico refused to photograph a gay wedding.
The more I hear the words “deeply held religious belief,” the more uneasy I feel. I wasn’t sure why until I had read through the umpteenth article on the subject. And that’s when I realized that the so-called “beliefs” being defended aren’t actually rooted in scripture.
The verse that nearly all of these Christians cite in support of their behavior is Romans 1:32, claiming that it says God not only judges people who sin, but also those who simply approve of sin.
First of all, there is absolutely nothing in the Bible that says selling someone a product in the course of legal business shows approval of the buyer’s lifestyle or behavior. Nothing.
Second, that’s not what the scripture even says. Here it is, in context:

“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
— Romans 1:28-32 NIV (emphasis added)

So these verses are only describing one group of people: those who commit the sin are also the ones approving of the sin.
Even though the chapter ends with verse 32, that is not the end of the passage. Paul’s point continues through Romans 2:
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?”
— Romans 2:1-3 NIV (emphasis added)

In these passages, Paul is addressing Jews in Rome. These Jews were claiming that their salvation was assured because they were circumcised and had the revelation of the Law. As a result, they were passing judgment on their Gentile brothers, turning up their noses every time they stumbled.
But Paul calls the Jews out, stating that their knowledge of the Law and their self-righteous attitude won’t save them since they are engaging in the exact same depravity that condemns the Gentiles. He shatters their preconceived notion of safety, revealing that God will eventually judge every person according to their deeds – without partiality.
So Romans 1 is about hypocritical judgment, not “passive approval.”
For those still inclined to argue, I point to Matthew 5, Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. This is the same passage wherein Christ mandates love for enemies. But it’s the preceding few verses that really demand attention:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
— Matthew 5:38-42 NIV (emphasis added)
And this scripture goes much further than just selling someone a product for profit. Jesus is talking about giving freely to people whose actions we wouldn’t approve of – above and beyond what they ask for!

Paul echoes Jesus’ sentiment:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
— Romans 12:20 NIV
But don’t take his photograph or sell him a wedding cake. That’s a step too far. Said no Bible ever.
And where does it end? Can a furniture store refuse to sell a gay couple a bed because they might sleep together in it? Can a banker deny a gay couple a home loan because they’ll live together in the same house? Not to mention the hypocrisy of this “religion”-based discrimination: tell me that baker never made a wedding cake for an adulterer who abandoned his or her spouse to marry an extra-marital lover.

My “deeply held religious belief” is that Jesus meant what he said. And if it’s not in the Bible, I don’t have to believe it.



Credit to: April Kelsey
April Kelsey is the author of the blog Revolutionary Faith.

God, if u know im gonna become gay tumoro, kill me today

Rubbish

Vanquay:

You Again!!!!!! 8

chowlade:
Rubbish

I bet u never did read it before commenting

McCarlito:

You Again!!!!!! 8

McCarlito:

I bet u never did read it before commenting

I was d first to view I read everything. I guess you didn't before copying & pasting dis kinda thread

chowlade:

I was d first to view I read everything. I guess you didn't before copying & pasting dis kinda thread

Hey! Hey! Hey! Slow down lady... no hard feelings

McCarlito:

Hey! Hey! Hey! Slow down lady... no hard feelings

No hard feelings to bro is just my opinion too

hehehhehee, d writer must be high on gay weeds, God diffrenciated us from animals by givin us CONCIENCE, even in d court of law, d person who provided d gun used in commitin murder is charged as an ascersory to dat murder. If a christain's concience forbids him to contribute to an evil course, so be it. @op, jst note dat u cannot decern d bible wit ur laghable earthly logic or wisdom.

bigiyaro:
hehehhehee, d writer must be high on gay weeds, God diffrenciated us from animals by givin us CONCIENCE, even in d court of law, d person who provided d gun used in commitin murder is charged as an ascersory to dat murder. If a christain's concience forbids him to contribute to an evil course, so be it. @op, jst note dat u cannot decern d bible wit ur laghable earthly logic or wisdom.

I don't mean to decern the bible of any virture as the bible made itself clear in all aspects of human endeavours.. but can u help me answer this questions from ur own point of acts..
Can a furniture store refuse to sell a gay couple a bed because they might sleep together in it? Can a banker deny a gay couple a home loan because they’ll live together in the same house

McCarlito:

I don't mean to decern the bible of any virture as the bible made itself clear in all aspects of human endeavours.. but can u help me answer this questions from ur own point of acts..
Can a furniture store refuse to sell a gay couple a bed because they might sleep together in it? Can a banker deny a gay couple a home loan because they’ll live together in the same house

have u heard of judges n magistrates in d US resignin cos it's against dia deeply held believes to surport demented ppl(gays).

bigiyaro:
have u heard of judges n magistrates in d US resignin cos it's against dia deeply held believes to surport demented ppl(gays).

They resign almost on a weekly basis if I'm not exaggerating

McCarlito:

They resign almost on a weekly basis if I'm not exaggerating

dat takes care of ur question.

And can the op tell me why my own right to refuse my services to people I don't want to give it to became a crime?

5minsmadness:
And can the op tell me why my own right to refuse my services to people I don't want to give it to became a crime?

Ofcourse it's not a crime if the "refusal" to render services is of "mutual" consent and not dragging it to sound "religious"

McCarlito:

Ofcourse it's not a crime if the "refusal" to render services is of "mutual" consent and not dragging it to sound "religious"

Mutual consent has nothing to do with it.

I don't want to serve you. Simple. I don't even have to explain myself.

Don't I have rights over my choices again like the gays do over thiers?

5minsmadness:

Mutual consent has nothing to do with it.

I don't want to serve you. Simple. I don't even have to explain myself.

Don't I have rights over my choices again like the gays do over thiers?

The purpose of the article is to point out where god has told you guys to forgive sinners and even go the extra mile to be good to them. In case you chose to SKIP that part.

Besides, sin is sin. God is not going to throw a gay person in a different compartment in hell fire than someone who lies. I don't even understand what the average Nigerian christian's point of view is regarding this gay issue. Statistically, there are more crimes committed by straight people than gay people and gay people are conceived, 95% of the time by straight people.

Besides, you theists don't see anything wrong with buring up thieves without a fair trial, which just so happens to be murder and even the scriptures WARN about being judgemental. By the very act of forsaking a sinner, you also sin thereby qualifying yourself for a place in hell.

While you're at it, pray to god to stop creating gay people. I wonder what kind of satisfaction or pleasure he gains from creating them in the first place when he saw it fit to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in bible times(aka Jewish fairytales).

Only a sick god will create a human gay and still send him to hell for being what he was created to be.

It's plain pathetic. Smd

hahn:


The purpose of the article is to point out where god has told you guys to forgive sinners and even go the extra mile to be good to them. In case you chose to SKIP that part.

Besides, sin is sin. God is not going to throw a gay person in a different compartment in hell fire than someone who lies. I don't even understand what the average Nigerian christian's point of view is regarding this gay issue. Statistically, there are more crimes committed by straight people than gay people and gay people are conceived, 95% of the time by straight people.

Besides, you theists don't see anything wrong with buring up thieves without a fair trial, which just so happens to be murder and even the scriptures WARN about being judgemental. By the very act of forsaking a sinner, you also sin thereby qualifying yourself for a place in hell.

While you're at it, pray to god to stop creating gay people. I wonder what kind of satisfaction or pleasure he gains from creating them in the first place when he saw it fit to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in bible times(aka Jewish fairytales).

Only a sick god will create a human gay and still send him to hell for being what he was created to be.

It's plain pathetic. Smd

Your comments are thorough and truthful even though you seem to sound "philosophical
No hard feelings man...

osizi06:
God, if u know im gonna become gay tumoro, kill me today

God don't teach people the "Arts of being Gay"
Besides I wonder the joy in fuvking a fellow man in the ass...
Damn!! Disgusting

McCarlito:

There's an atom of truth in ur comments even though they seem to sound "philosophical
No hard feelings man...

It's all good

hahn:


It's all good

Most times people see religion as a excuse to justify wrong doings; just calling to mind the extra-judicial killings going on in the northern part of Nigeria; ISIS in the Syrian part and many invisible killings all crafted and twisted to fit into religious sleeves

McCarlito:

Most times people see religion as a excuse to justify wrong doings; just calling to mind the extra-judicial killings going on in the northern part of Nigeria; ISIS in the Syrian part and many invisible killings all crafted and twisted to fit into religious sleeves

Exactly

hahn:


The purpose of the article is to point out where god has told you guys to forgive sinners and even go the extra mile to be good to them. In case you chose to SKIP that part.

Mr Christian-wannabe, the bible says Forgive sinnners, not encourage them in thier sin!.
Its not your fault sha. You dont understand the bible to begin with.

Besides, sin is sin. God is not going to throw a gay person in a different compartment in hell fire than someone who lies. I don't even understand what the average Nigerian christian's point of view is regarding this gay issue. Statistically, there are more crimes committed by straight people than gay people and gay people are conceived, 95% of the time by straight people.

Lol! Liar liar pants on fire! Or maybe you're just ignorant sha. Ok, Let me humour you.

1John 5:17 clearly states that there are two types of sin, that which offends God and that which is so grevious it leads to (spiritual) death:

"Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that do not lead to death" : International Standard Version.

"For every evil is sin, and there is sin that is not mortal." Aramaic Bible in Plain English

Homosexuality is a very grevious sin against GOD, so much so that the Bible singles it out as an abomination:


1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their unclothedness: I am the LORD.

7 The unclothedness of thy father, or the unclothedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her unclothedness.

8 The unclothedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's unclothedness.

9 The unclothedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their unclothedness thou shalt not uncover.

10 The unclothedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their unclothedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own unclothedness.

11 The unclothedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her unclothedness.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.

13 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

15 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her unclothedness.

16 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's unclothedness.

17 Thou shalt not uncover the unclothedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her unclothedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her unclothedness, beside the other in her life time.

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her unclothedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is [size=18pt]abomination.[/size]

So yeah, maybe there is a special place in hell for people who commit this kind of sin, I dont know. I am more interested in these souls knowing that what they are doing is an abberation and a sin against GOD and a sin against themselves.

Are you aware homosexuals are 18 times more likely to contact HIV than heterosexuals? and am not even going to mention other complications like anal prolapse, anal sphincter tears, infection from feces innoculation etc. (ok so I metioned a few. sue me.)

Since in any given survey, gay people would only be (at the most) 10% of any population, it woud stand to reason that any statistic of crimes commited would be majorly by heterosexuals since they are more in the population than gays. HOWEVER US Sexuality Survey Shows Gays 107% More Likely To Engage In Criminal Activities!

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO., June 13, 2005 – A forty-eight page study to be published two weeks from now in the peer-reviewed journal, Psychological Reports, compares extensive and newly released Center for Disease Control (CDC) data, concluding that homosexuals are far more likely to engage in illegal and socially dangerous behaviour than heterosexuals. In fact, according to the study, homosexuals are over 107% more likely to have been booked for illegal activity than heterosexuals.

Dr. Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute led and penned the report, which is based upon data gathered in 1996 by the CDC.

The National Household Survey of Drug Abuse (NHSDA) asked 12,381 respondents between the ages of 18 and 59, forty-six highly personal questions, spanning their age, race, and extensive details about their lifestyle and past history. In an interview with lifesitenews.com Dr. Cameron called the survey “the largest, most elegant sexuality survey in the history of the United states”. He estimated the cost of conducting the study at $13 million.


Your third statement got me cracking OF COURSE 95% of gays are concieved by Straight people , even 100%sef, afterall Do gay people give birth? So we should embrace all the armed robbers, killers, cutthroats, lazy asses and dregs of society because "straight people gave birth to them?" Dude!

Besides, you theists don't see anything wrong with buring up thieves without a fair trial, which just so happens to be murder and even the scriptures WARN about being judgemental. By the very act of forsaking a sinner, you also sin thereby qualifying yourself for a place in hell.

and where did you see theists supporting burning up of theives Is it part of our beliefs? We wrote an epitaph sanctioning it?
Dude, Stop lying to make a point!

The Bible says "Judge not that ye may not be judged", however it also says"
(Luke 17:3, ASV) "Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

We are rebuking the homosexuals for thier wrong doings, it is for thier own good! It is for the sake of thier health and thier souls!

Also:
But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matthew 18:16)

And finally, if they still dont listen like many of them have refused to listen that this lifestyle of thiers is dangerous and havew even gone so far as to force it into legislation and are now shoving it down our throats and impinging on our own rights not to have anything to do with gays...

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)
In other words AVOID THEM!

While you're at it, pray to god to stop creating gay people. I wonder what kind of satisfaction or pleasure he gains from creating them in the first place when he saw it fit to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in bible times(aka Jewish fairytales).

Only a sick god will create a human gay and still send him to hell for being what he was created to be.

It's plain pathetic. Smd

Another lie from the pit of hell.
GOD didnt create anyone gay, just as he didnt create anyone to be pedophiles or rapists or incestous or serial killers. These people have chosen this lifestyle with thier own hands. they experienced certain urges and instead of being the higher animals that they are and resisiting these urges they chose to let thier bodies control them and act on these impulses. So the blame is completely in thier hands!


I sincerly hope you read this epistle and not just jump to the bottom line here. You have a lot to learn apparently

cc McCarlito as a PS, Hahn was the one who introduced religion into this matter, not me.

5minsmadness:

With regards/support to what u wrote above; I simply say that deciding whether or not to believe in God is essentially like engaging in a wager.
If we choose to behave as if there is a God and we get to the end and it turns out there isn’t, it’s not such a big deal.
Well, maybe we’ve lost the ability to thoroughly enjoy the (Seven Deadly Sins) but that’s small potatoes compared to the alternative.
If we bet; believe and behave like there isn’t a God, and get to the end only to find out there is a God, we’ve lost the Big Enchilada, the eternal bliss.
Therefore, it is a better strategy to live as if there is a God.
#datsall