Tolerance and Bigotry: What happens when the shoe is on the other foot?

[TemplarKormac]

And this is why I have you on ignore. Later.

Yeah, ignore is my favorite feature of this forum. It has made forum posting and discussion immeasurably better.

It allows for more intelligent (emphasis added) discussion.

 

[aris2chat]

The debate of human rights for gays is not about sexual abuse or rape, it is about two people of the same sex falling in love and sharing their lives.
It is not about sin, but about people at fall in love.
Why is this so hateful to others? What are they so afraid of? They don't have a plague that is contagious. They are not proselytizing a religion. They are not forcing others to join in their bedroom activities. They just want not to be condemned or abuse because of who they are genetically attracted to.

That's what you say it is.

The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. It's not about hate. I hate anyone. Hillary Clinton comes the closest with a standing "absolute distrust and dislike".

It's not about hate.

Sin.... is sin. We as Christians are to avoid being involved in sin. We can't be involved in a same sex marriage. Period. Doesn't mean I hate you.

If I was Jewish, I can't eat pork. Does that mean I hate pig farmers? People who eat bacon? No. I just can't be involved in that. It's part of my faith.

If I am a Muslim, I can't drink alcohol. Does that mean I hate the brewers, or the bar owners? No. I just can't partake in that.

I'm a Christian. I can't be involved in SSM. It's sin to me. Does that mean I 'hate' the people who are gay? No. I just can't supply a SSM wedding with cakes, or photo-shoots, or catering. It's part of my faith.

It's that simple.

As a jew you should not eat pork but their are exception to kashrut laws when there are no alternatives. It does not require you to starve or harm your heath till you can obtain kosher food. Even the orthodox understand that. It is the same for religious fasting for females who are pregnant or nursing, or for those in poor health or those in services like police, fire dept. or doctors. It is the same for working on the sabbath. There are reasonable exception.

If you are a muslim you are still permitted to take medicine, knowing or unknowing it contains a narcotic or alcohol. There are live saving and required meds that alter perception and behavior. We give allergy meds to our children and antibiotics that might not be 'kosher or halal' because of meal times or the need to take with meals. Not everything 'written' is absolute. If those who study the talmud and hadiths know the laws are adaptable to different circumstances and not fixed.

Life is not that simple nor are the religious laws, or civil laws.

It might have been a life time ago, but I am well read in most religious text. I can't always quote by chapter and verse but that does make me ignorant.

There is a reason we read the law, civil or religious, by the spirit and not the letter on occasion. Why even among religious lawyers and courts there is dissent on many issues. Why people have to use their best judgement, in life and in the law.

And yet when the King demanded shadrach meshach and abednego to bow down to the golden statue, did they cite exceptions? Did they rationalize and say "well people have to use their best judgement, in life and the law"?

Or did they just say "no" even under penalty of death?

Are there exceptions to certain laws? Yes of course.

But are there absolutes? Yes.

Tell me, the prohibition on adultery... is that absolute or is there an exception?

Yeah, I get it. If you are Jew, on a deserted island with no food, and surrounded by a herd of pigs... do you eat and live, or abstain and starve? Yeah, you eat the pigs. I get it.

Haven't seen many deaths over lack of photography at rump ranger weddings. So what's your point? Because there are exceptions to certain rules, we can just do whatever we feel like?

There are Christians who have that belief system. I'm not one of them.

are women stoned today? do families stay together? do they have the option of divorce?

It is not about everything or any thing being wrong but we don't treat it the way it was back them, we accept, forgive, move on, seek help but we don't condemn even sin or transgression to hell. Not all sin absolute or punishment to damnation for eternity.
Jesus save the women from stoning because those accusing her and ready to execute her were also sinners.

A child that take a bar of candy from a store, a girl lies to her parents, a gay couple fall in love, a man bares false witness and incites others to condemn and attack or a person in hate kills or causes others to kill, which the greater sin? All sins fated to hell? Are none accepted in the community or by god? Is the belief that all sinners must be punished not a form of hate and violence? Is judging others not wrong? Do we hold all sins of the bible as sinful today? Have we not evolved and changed? Has the church not changed?
Mary is not longer a prostitute. Jews are no longer blamed for the death of Jesus. Gays are welcomed in the church. Most of those within the church that sin are protected by the church, they are not excommunicated or shunned. Modern prophets are profiteers, for what reason does god need money? How much of every dollar raised actually goes to good works? How many that we see healed are really planted fakes? How many churches are calling for the end of days rather than working to make today a place if love and care? They seem to care more for revelations than the gospels.
How many preach hate and damnation instead of love thy brother? Is that really what Jesus taught or why he lived?

Other religions have changed over time as well.
Civil law has evolved and is still evolving.

We do not live in the 10th century bce

 

[PaintMyHouse]

The left's idea of tolerance is the same as their idea of compromise.
As long as they get what they want you are doing it correctly ... But don't expect them to be tolerant or compromise.

.

Tolerance stops at intolerance.

Yes, you are intolerant, and I'm not tolerating it.

"Law and order" isn't a high priority for some when it comes to illegal aliens, of course.

.

Would you like us to ruin the economy by rounding them all up? You guys won't even let us issue a national ID to everyone.

You would round up all the Christians and toss them in prison? That wouldn't ruin the economy?

I'd just be happy if they were actual Christians.

So would I. The difference is, I base real Christian faith, on who adheres to the Bible which is the basis of the faith.

You base 'christianity' on who follows your ideology.

Nope. And I can absolutely bet you don't follow Jesus.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

That's because Paul was a self loathing gay man. (not to mention an asshole misogynist)

To be fair, a lot of biblical scholars don't believe Paul was one guy. They think that a lot of epistles attributed to him were written by someone else. But they were all asshole misogynists.

She's right about Paul but several things attributed to him are either forgeries or pseudo-forgeries.

 

[aris2chat]

Well boys, we are fixing the law. So sad for you two.

I will not follow any law that requires me to violate my faith. Guess you'll be paying taxes for my room and board?

Works for me. Jail is a good place for people who refuse to obey the law.

So be it.

Romans 13:1-7 doesn't apply to you it seems...

Ahh, perhaps verses 8-10 don't apply to you then.

"8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments "You shall not commit adultery,""You shall not murder,""You shall not steal,""You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are all summed up in this one command: "Love thy neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is fulfillment of the law.

Well, for those of you who say "love is love" the why do you use your "love" to do harm to others? Remember, Love does no harm to a neighbor. But here you are, harming your neighbors with your own version of hatred and bigotry towards Christians who stand up for their beliefs.

Don't quote the Bible. You only use it as a weapon. The Bible shouldn't be weaponized or a tool for ideological warfare.

>>Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is fulfillment of the law.<<

than why don't you love gays? why refuse them the rights and services of everyone else?
Even murders are allowed to marry in jail, even someone like mendez, bundy or manson....well almost.

 

[Andylusion]

The left's idea of tolerance is the same as their idea of compromise.
As long as they get what they want you are doing it correctly ... But don't expect them to be tolerant or compromise.

.

Tolerance stops at intolerance.

Yes, you are intolerant, and I'm not tolerating it.

"Law and order" isn't a high priority for some when it comes to illegal aliens, of course.

.

Would you like us to ruin the economy by rounding them all up? You guys won't even let us issue a national ID to everyone.

You would round up all the Christians and toss them in prison? That wouldn't ruin the economy?

I'd just be happy if they were actual Christians.

So would I. The difference is, I base real Christian faith, on who adheres to the Bible which is the basis of the faith.

You base 'christianity' on who follows your ideology.

Nope. And I can absolutely bet you don't follow Jesus.

Everything that you have said thus far, indicated you don't follow the Bible yourself.

Since you have absolutely no authority to talk about the Bible, I certainly don't care what you think of me. You have to have credibility before what you say about the Bible or Christianity, matters to me.

Ultimately I will answer to G-d for my own actions, and his judgement is the only judgement that matters.

If anything, it's you and those like you, that confirm I am on the right path.

Jesus himself said in Luke 6:26 "What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets."

Are you praised by the crowds for your 'tolerant' beliefs painty? When everyone is siding with you, just as they do today on SSM.... that's not a good sign.

Instead, Jesus vary clearly said in Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

If you are not hated by people, because you follow Jesus...... chances are... you are not following Jesus.

 

[Andylusion]

I will not follow any law that requires me to violate my faith. Guess you'll be paying taxes for my room and board?

Works for me. Jail is a good place for people who refuse to obey the law.

So be it.

Romans 13:1-7 doesn't apply to you it seems...

Ahh, perhaps verses 8-10 don't apply to you then.

"8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments "You shall not commit adultery,""You shall not murder,""You shall not steal,""You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are all summed up in this one command: "Love thy neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is fulfillment of the law.

Well, for those of you who say "love is love" the why do you use your "love" to do harm to others? Remember, Love does no harm to a neighbor. But here you are, harming your neighbors with your own version of hatred and bigotry towards Christians who stand up for their beliefs.

Don't quote the Bible. You only use it as a weapon. The Bible shouldn't be weaponized or a tool for ideological warfare.

>>Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is fulfillment of the law.<<

than why don't you love gays? why refuse them the rights and services of everyone else?
Even murders are allowed to marry in jail, even someone like mendez, bundy or manson....well almost.

Really.... so not profiting off them by selling a cake does 'harm' to them? They are 'harmed' by this?

If anything harms these people, it's supporting the homosexual life style. Higher rates of illness, long term health issues, and higher rates of suicide.

If anyone harms them, it's you people who promote this.

We love them so much, we offer repentance and forgiveness, and an escape from homosexuality.

Love doesn't mean we are required to appease them. Anymore than loving a drunk, means paying for his next beer. Or loving a drug addict, is buying his next hit.

The most loving thing you can do, is force him out, and deny him any funding for his habit. Love sometimes causes great pain, because he'll have to go through withdraw, or the pain of losing everything to his alcoholism. The most hateful thing you can do, is support them in a destructive life style, which homosexuality is by any rational measure.

 

[TemplarKormac]

than why don't you love gays?

Because I'm not gay, stupid.

why refuse them the rights and services of everyone else?

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?

Even murderers are allowed to marry in jail, even someone like mendez, bundy or manson....well almost.

So are you equating gay people with murderers? The only crime gay activists are guilty of is being religiously intolerant.

 

[TemplarKormac]

And for future reference for those of you who can't get it through your thick heads:

 

[NYcarbineer]

[

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?


.

For the same reason you can't refuse to pay your taxes.

 

[TemplarKormac]

[

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?


.

For the same reason you can't refuse to pay your taxes.

So, taxes are as inevitable as religious intolerance. Hate to break it to you, people will refuse service anyway if it violates their beliefs.

By the way, you have members of your own party evading taxes, yet here you are preaching about it. You hypocrite. You know what the tells me? We can just as easily do the same with catering gay weddings and find ways of getting away with it.

 

[NYcarbineer]

[

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?


.

For the same reason you can't refuse to pay your taxes.

So, taxes are as inevitable as religious intolerance. Hate to break it to you, people will refuse service anyway if it violates their beliefs.

By the way, you have members of your own party evading taxes, yet here you are preaching about it. You hypocrite. You know what the tells me? We can just as easily do the same and find ways of getting away with it.

That's it. Keep deflecting.

 

[Andylusion]

The debate of human rights for gays is not about sexual abuse or rape, it is about two people of the same sex falling in love and sharing their lives.
It is not about sin, but about people at fall in love.
Why is this so hateful to others? What are they so afraid of? They don't have a plague that is contagious. They are not proselytizing a religion. They are not forcing others to join in their bedroom activities. They just want not to be condemned or abuse because of who they are genetically attracted to.

That's what you say it is.

The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. It's not about hate. I hate anyone. Hillary Clinton comes the closest with a standing "absolute distrust and dislike".

It's not about hate.

Sin.... is sin. We as Christians are to avoid being involved in sin. We can't be involved in a same sex marriage. Period. Doesn't mean I hate you.

If I was Jewish, I can't eat pork. Does that mean I hate pig farmers? People who eat bacon? No. I just can't be involved in that. It's part of my faith.

If I am a Muslim, I can't drink alcohol. Does that mean I hate the brewers, or the bar owners? No. I just can't partake in that.

I'm a Christian. I can't be involved in SSM. It's sin to me. Does that mean I 'hate' the people who are gay? No. I just can't supply a SSM wedding with cakes, or photo-shoots, or catering. It's part of my faith.

It's that simple.

As a jew you should not eat pork but their are exception to kashrut laws when there are no alternatives. It does not require you to starve or harm your heath till you can obtain kosher food. Even the orthodox understand that. It is the same for religious fasting for females who are pregnant or nursing, or for those in poor health or those in services like police, fire dept. or doctors. It is the same for working on the sabbath. There are reasonable exception.

If you are a muslim you are still permitted to take medicine, knowing or unknowing it contains a narcotic or alcohol. There are live saving and required meds that alter perception and behavior. We give allergy meds to our children and antibiotics that might not be 'kosher or halal' because of meal times or the need to take with meals. Not everything 'written' is absolute. If those who study the talmud and hadiths know the laws are adaptable to different circumstances and not fixed.

Life is not that simple nor are the religious laws, or civil laws.

It might have been a life time ago, but I am well read in most religious text. I can't always quote by chapter and verse but that does make me ignorant.

There is a reason we read the law, civil or religious, by the spirit and not the letter on occasion. Why even among religious lawyers and courts there is dissent on many issues. Why people have to use their best judgement, in life and in the law.

And yet when the King demanded shadrach meshach and abednego to bow down to the golden statue, did they cite exceptions? Did they rationalize and say "well people have to use their best judgement, in life and the law"?

Or did they just say "no" even under penalty of death?

Are there exceptions to certain laws? Yes of course.

But are there absolutes? Yes.

Tell me, the prohibition on adultery... is that absolute or is there an exception?

Yeah, I get it. If you are Jew, on a deserted island with no food, and surrounded by a herd of pigs... do you eat and live, or abstain and starve? Yeah, you eat the pigs. I get it.

Haven't seen many deaths over lack of photography at rump ranger weddings. So what's your point? Because there are exceptions to certain rules, we can just do whatever we feel like?

There are Christians who have that belief system. I'm not one of them.

are women stoned today? do families stay together? do they have the option of divorce?

It is not about everything or any thing being wrong but we don't treat it the way it was back them, we accept, forgive, move on, seek help but we don't condemn even sin or transgression to hell. Not all sin absolute or punishment to damnation for eternity.
Jesus save the women from stoning because those accusing her and ready to execute her were also sinners.

A child that take a bar of candy from a store, a girl lies to her parents, a gay couple fall in love, a man bares false witness and incites others to condemn and attack or a person in hate kills or causes others to kill, which the greater sin? All sins fated to hell? Are none accepted in the community or by god? Is the belief that all sinners must be punished not a form of hate and violence? Is judging others not wrong? Do we hold all sins of the bible as sinful today? Have we not evolved and changed? Has the church not changed?
Mary is not longer a prostitute. Jews are no longer blamed for the death of Jesus. Gays are welcomed in the church. Most of those within the church that sin are protected by the church, they are not excommunicated or shunned. Modern prophets are profiteers, for what reason does god need money? How much of every dollar raised actually goes to good works? How many that we see healed are really planted fakes? How many churches are calling for the end of days rather than working to make today a place if love and care? They seem to care more for revelations than the gospels.
How many preach hate and damnation instead of love thy brother? Is that really what Jesus taught or why he lived?

Other religions have changed over time as well.
Civil law has evolved and is still evolving.

We do not live in the 10th century bce

What does any of this have to do with the topic at hand?

Yes, other religions have changed. The Bible has not. Other religions are man-made, and thus can be changed by man. Biblical Christianity was created by G-d in Heaven, and has not changed, and can not be changed.

You are either following the laws of G-d, and will be saved. Or you are not, will not be saved.

Again, I don't care about Civil law when it contradicts the Bible. When it doesn't contradict the Bible, I obey the laws of the land. When it does, I follow the Bible. The civil man-made law is irrelevant to me then.

 

[aris2chat]

And for future reference for those of you who can't get it through your thick heads:

A gay couple that want to commit to each other are assholes? You would refuse to provide a serve because of sexuality makes you the asshole. It is a prejudice, a form of hate crime.

 

[NYcarbineer]

[

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?


.

For the same reason you can't refuse to pay your taxes.

So, taxes are as inevitable as religious intolerance. Hate to break it to you, people will refuse service anyway if it violates their beliefs.

By the way, you have members of your own party evading taxes, yet here you are preaching about it. You hypocrite. You know what the tells me? We can just as easily do the same and find ways of getting away with it.

That's it. Keep deflecting.

[

Why force your gayness or gay values on to Christians? Why can't we have the right to refuse because of our faith?


.

For the same reason you can't refuse to pay your taxes.

So, taxes are as inevitable as religious intolerance. Hate to break it to you, people will refuse service anyway if it violates their beliefs.

By the way, you have members of your own party evading taxes, yet here you are preaching about it. You hypocrite. You know what the tells me? We can just as easily do the same with catering gay weddings and find ways of getting away with it.

You think this case was wrongly decided?


United States v. Lee, 992 F.2d 831, 833 (8th Cir. 1993) – the court rejected Ramsey’s argument that filing federal income tax returns and paying federal income taxes violates his pacifist religious beliefs and stated that Ramsey "has no First Amendment right to avoid federal income taxes on religious grounds."

 

[Andylusion]

And for future reference for those of you who can't get it through your thick heads:

A gay couple that want to commit to each other are assholes? You would refuse to provide a serve because of sexuality makes you the asshole. It is a prejudice, a form of hate crime.

I really don't care what you think is a 'form of hate'. Can I just make up that what you are saying on this forum, I consider to be a form of hate crime against me?

Grow up.

As for the rest.... well... the gay people that respect my beliefs and cause me no problem, such as those where I work, I don't think they qualify.

But for those who sue a bakery for not providing service for something that directly violates their faith values.... Yeah, that would qualify.

 

[NYcarbineer]

The debate of human rights for gays is not about sexual abuse or rape, it is about two people of the same sex falling in love and sharing their lives.
It is not about sin, but about people at fall in love.
Why is this so hateful to others? What are they so afraid of? They don't have a plague that is contagious. They are not proselytizing a religion. They are not forcing others to join in their bedroom activities. They just want not to be condemned or abuse because of who they are genetically attracted to.

That's what you say it is.

The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. It's not about hate. I hate anyone. Hillary Clinton comes the closest with a standing "absolute distrust and dislike".

It's not about hate.

Sin.... is sin. We as Christians are to avoid being involved in sin. We can't be involved in a same sex marriage. Period. Doesn't mean I hate you.

If I was Jewish, I can't eat pork. Does that mean I hate pig farmers? People who eat bacon? No. I just can't be involved in that. It's part of my faith.

If I am a Muslim, I can't drink alcohol. Does that mean I hate the brewers, or the bar owners? No. I just can't partake in that.

I'm a Christian. I can't be involved in SSM. It's sin to me. Does that mean I 'hate' the people who are gay? No. I just can't supply a SSM wedding with cakes, or photo-shoots, or catering. It's part of my faith.

It's that simple.

As a jew you should not eat pork but their are exception to kashrut laws when there are no alternatives. It does not require you to starve or harm your heath till you can obtain kosher food. Even the orthodox understand that. It is the same for religious fasting for females who are pregnant or nursing, or for those in poor health or those in services like police, fire dept. or doctors. It is the same for working on the sabbath. There are reasonable exception.

If you are a muslim you are still permitted to take medicine, knowing or unknowing it contains a narcotic or alcohol. There are live saving and required meds that alter perception and behavior. We give allergy meds to our children and antibiotics that might not be 'kosher or halal' because of meal times or the need to take with meals. Not everything 'written' is absolute. If those who study the talmud and hadiths know the laws are adaptable to different circumstances and not fixed.

Life is not that simple nor are the religious laws, or civil laws.

It might have been a life time ago, but I am well read in most religious text. I can't always quote by chapter and verse but that does make me ignorant.

There is a reason we read the law, civil or religious, by the spirit and not the letter on occasion. Why even among religious lawyers and courts there is dissent on many issues. Why people have to use their best judgement, in life and in the law.

And yet when the King demanded shadrach meshach and abednego to bow down to the golden statue, did they cite exceptions? Did they rationalize and say "well people have to use their best judgement, in life and the law"?

Or did they just say "no" even under penalty of death?

Are there exceptions to certain laws? Yes of course.

But are there absolutes? Yes.

Tell me, the prohibition on adultery... is that absolute or is there an exception?

Yeah, I get it. If you are Jew, on a deserted island with no food, and surrounded by a herd of pigs... do you eat and live, or abstain and starve? Yeah, you eat the pigs. I get it.

Haven't seen many deaths over lack of photography at rump ranger weddings. So what's your point? Because there are exceptions to certain rules, we can just do whatever we feel like?

There are Christians who have that belief system. I'm not one of them.

are women stoned today? do families stay together? do they have the option of divorce?

It is not about everything or any thing being wrong but we don't treat it the way it was back them, we accept, forgive, move on, seek help but we don't condemn even sin or transgression to hell. Not all sin absolute or punishment to damnation for eternity.
Jesus save the women from stoning because those accusing her and ready to execute her were also sinners.

A child that take a bar of candy from a store, a girl lies to her parents, a gay couple fall in love, a man bares false witness and incites others to condemn and attack or a person in hate kills or causes others to kill, which the greater sin? All sins fated to hell? Are none accepted in the community or by god? Is the belief that all sinners must be punished not a form of hate and violence? Is judging others not wrong? Do we hold all sins of the bible as sinful today? Have we not evolved and changed? Has the church not changed?
Mary is not longer a prostitute. Jews are no longer blamed for the death of Jesus. Gays are welcomed in the church. Most of those within the church that sin are protected by the church, they are not excommunicated or shunned. Modern prophets are profiteers, for what reason does god need money? How much of every dollar raised actually goes to good works? How many that we see healed are really planted fakes? How many churches are calling for the end of days rather than working to make today a place if love and care? They seem to care more for revelations than the gospels.
How many preach hate and damnation instead of love thy brother? Is that really what Jesus taught or why he lived?

Other religions have changed over time as well.
Civil law has evolved and is still evolving.

We do not live in the 10th century bce

What does any of this have to do with the topic at hand?

Yes, other religions have changed. The Bible has not. Other religions are man-made, and thus can be changed by man. Biblical Christianity was created by G-d in Heaven, and has not changed, and can not be changed.

.

That is nonsensical. The Bible was written, compiled, and edited by men.

 

[TemplarKormac]

A gay couple that want to commit to each other are assholes?

No.

Somehow I think you're doing this on purpose. One loaded question after another. Now, gays can do whatever they want to each other, but when they force themselves and their lifestyles on that of the religious, then they become assholes.

You would refuse to provide a serve because of sexuality makes you the asshole.

Making false presumptions about someone makes you the asshole, asshole.

It is a prejudice, a form of hate crime.

So, if it were a hate crime, how have I hurt them? I didn't steal money, beat them with a club while yelling "GAYS SUCK!" All I did was refuse to cater to their wedding because of my religious beliefs.

 

[NYcarbineer]

And for future reference for those of you who can't get it through your thick heads:

A gay couple that want to commit to each other are assholes? You would refuse to provide a serve because of sexuality makes you the asshole. It is a prejudice, a form of hate crime.

I really don't care what you think is a 'form of hate'. Can I just make up that what you are saying on this forum, I consider to be a form of hate crime against me?

Grow up.

As for the rest.... well... the gay people that respect my beliefs and cause me no problem, such as those where I work, I don't think they qualify.

But for those who sue a bakery for not providing service for something that directly violates their faith values.... Yeah, that would qualify.

There is no Biblical law against serving homosexuals in one's business.

 

[lake avenue]

You don't have to change your views of homosexuality. You can hate gays and damn them to hell all you want; but the U.S government is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian (or any) religion and religion has (or shouldn't have) any effect on law and legislation made.

The U.S is the home of the free, it's a place of liberty and freedom. In my opinion we look dumb as shit touting that we're the land of the free when we won't even let people marry if they aren't marrying the opposite sex.