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Civil unions for who? Gays? Straight non-religious? No religion = no marriage?
For whomever was willing to pay for their services.
In other words, they offered marriage services for hire. Since gay marriage was illegal in Idaho, they didn't offer gay marriage. They offered everything else. And they allowed other officiants to conduct those marriages. Now that gay marriage is legal in Idaho, they've suddenly found fundamentalism, and are trying to say a business they own, a business that's existed for nearly 100 years but which they only bought in the 1980's, is a ministry and therefore not subject to the non-discrimination laws that apply to businesses in the state of Idaho.
The local McDonald's may be owned by Pentecostals, but it's still a business, and has to operate like a business according to the laws of the state it resides in. And that's true of this business as well. They don't have to officiate at any weddings, but since they allowed others to officiate at weddings at their business, and others may be willing to officiate at gay weddings, their legal argument rests on their assertion that it's a ministry. An assertion that is belied by their own website, where they've made the BUSINESS available to people of numerous religious and non-religious affiliations.
In fact, it was a well-kept secret until very recently.
The Hitching Post just - as in this month - restructured their business to become hyper-Christian. A lawyer from ADF - who is very much anti-LGBT - helped them file the necessary documents. And the Hitching Post website was updated to be Christian-only, where it used to offer civil ceremonies and even ceremonies for other faiths.
Because it's not a church, it's a business. And businesses operate under law.
The owners of the Hitching Post could have done the Christian thing and decided to serve either God or mammon - I think Matthew has a bit on that - but noooo, there's a payday to be had and victim status to be claimed.
You can see what's been added and changed recently by looking at the Internet Wayback Machine at earlier versions of the website. Suddenly they have a new uber-Christian wedding policy page and biblical quotes.
I guess the state can force someone to solemnize the marriage. But can they or the couple control the liturgy of the service? Would a gay couple choose that business if their wedding was a fire and brimstone service? The ministers then can have their own way but of course they will lose the business of others who want to control their own ceremony.
As long as the business treats all customers the same that is their prerogative. If the business only imposes liturgy control on same-sex couples or on interracial couples, then that's illegal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smash255
Treating others equally under the law = Tyranny??
Indeed it takes some really serious self-deception to defend the religious reactionary perspective.
You can see what's been added and changed recently by looking at the Internet Wayback Machine at earlier versions of the website. Suddenly they have a new uber-Christian wedding policy page and biblical quotes.
Why don't homosexuals open chains of ''Chaple of Gay" geared toward performing marriages for them rather than use government to soothe their hissy fits? Government is not here to ensure you get the kind of sex you want.
They should open gay bakeries and anything else gay to suit them. Blacks have opened their own stores geared toward them as well as having their own TV/radio stations. Same with any other minority.
Does it get ridiculous enough?
Why don't Christians just stop judging, stop discriminating and stop trying to break the law using their bible as justification. Discriminition is wrong and not what the USA is about.
the liberal federal judges in various states have attempted to strip away the
power of each state to determine this issue for itself, for now, but in the next
administration or any time congress votes to replace these judges, or override
their decisions, the "insta" gay-marriage can be nullified.
regarding this issue, there is a case that regardless of the hitching post being
for-profit, because the couple are acting as ministers, their first amendment
rights are being violated. so they can win this. if they do not, they can make
the hitiching post non-profit and never have to close or perform a same-sex ceremony.
You want to poke at liberals; fine. I'll stoop to your level.
Conservatives scream for small government. Is the state determining who can and can't get married an example of small government? Marriage is a deeply personal and private things; why is the state intruding on that?
You want to poke at liberals; fine. I'll stoop to your level.
Conservatives scream for small government. Is the state determining who can and can't get married an example of small government? Marriage is a deeply personal and private things; why is the state intruding on that?
Marriage is a public acknowledgement of commitment, and registering that partnership with the government gives certain rights and responsibilities, and has tax and gov't benefit implications. No one is forcing you to register you religious marriage with the government. If you don't want to then don't.
So, the bottom line is, after 196 posts the two sides have not reached any kind of accommodation, and it is readily apparent they never will, which shows that there is a conflict of RIGHTS.
One side says you can not discriminate, you can not deny RIGHTS to any group.
The other side is apparently saying that a business has a RIGHT to refuse service to anyone.
Apparently, neither statement is entirely true!
It would appear that by granting non-discrimination RIGHTS to some minority groups, the government is denying the right to refuse service to others.
Not all RIGHTS are in the Constitution. See Amendment IX and X.
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