That once you get past their sexual orientation, they're nothing particularly unique about them as a group. They're people.
Agreed. I know I wear this out a lot, but I do have gay friends. I broke bread with one of them at a pizzeria downtown a few years ago. I get it. They are in fact people, with rights.
But let's pose a scenario, purely fictional.
In a galaxy far, far away there is a random family of law abiding Christians living in the town of Nowhere, in the State of Absent, America. The members of this family all oppose homosexuality. The father is a small town business owner who is vehemently so, who's struggling to keep his business and his family afloat. The father happens to own a Christian themed bakery in that town of Nowhere. One day, a gay couple comes in and says, "bake us a cake with the gay pride flag, with two men standing atop of it. We want it delivered and prepared at our wedding." The father, due to his religious beliefs says "I'm sorry, please do business elsewhere."
The gay couple sues under State of Absent's anti-discrimination statutes, accusing them of discrimination, and wins. The ensuing national firestorm and $130,000 fine, plus the increasing amount of death threats against him and his family, puts the father out of business and along with his family, into the local Salvation Army homeless shelter. For you see, without the business and subsequent income, the bank foreclosed on his home, and his car was repossessed. He could no longer afford to feed and clothe his children, nor could he afford their education. Due to his new found financial inadequacy, his wife divorces him, wins the alimony case against him, and takes the children. Finally, he, after having lost everything he held dear and knowing he will never be able to do business or show his face in the State of Absent, commits suicide, all for holding true to his faith.
Now, with that in mind, were he and members of his family just "people"? Or were they monsters? Because due to the reaction of today's society, they wouldn't be unremarkable citizens, they wouldn't be people, they would be villains, monsters. They would be accused of not being true Christians, of being intolerant, that they are simply twisting the Bible in a way to justify their "discrimination." They would be assailed by members of the Democratic Party and members of the activist gay community with Bible verses from Galatians (e.g. there is neither Jew no Greek, male or female) and elsewhere attempting to justify the lifestyle.
The father committed the taboo of remaining loyal to his faith as he knew it. It has become increasingly unacceptable in the public light to for an individual to exercise his religious beliefs in the field of commerce, as it will always be an actionable act of discrimination under existing law. There will never be a circumstance where the father in this fictional scenario would ever be granted leniency under the law because of his faith.
In a way, in relevance to this thread, the father was killed not by his own hand, but by the increasing intolerance of his religious beliefs.
However, I would like you to give your opinion of my scenario. I'm not looking for a fight, just a pure and reasoned debate. Is it okay if we do that? However, right now, I have a giant migraine. I will reply later on today. Deal?
As I said...they are laughing behind your back....at your stupidity.
