Would A Muslim Caterer Or Photographer Be Treated As Christians Have Been?

SAME-SEX WEDDING? HIRE MUSLIM CATERER

Exclusive: Joseph Farah flips scenario in nationwide war against Christian businesses

Published: 18 hours ago

 JOSEPH FARAH About | Email | Archive

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Barn wedding reception (Photo: Joshua Rainey Photography, The Daily Signal)

Forgive me, but I can’t stop thinking about Robert and Cynthia Gifford, the New York couple hit with a $13,000 fine by the state’s division of human rights for politely declining, as a matter of religious conviction, to host a same-sex wedding celebration.

I know there are many injustices to write about. I know the world is on fire. But if we can’t get something this simple right, I don’t see how we’re going to deal with ISIS or the flood of illegal aliens streaming across the border or anything else for that matter.

The Giffords are small family farmers who allowed their beautiful property to be used for special events and occasions – weddings, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries. The Giffords enjoyed being a part of these celebrations, providing all the decorations and catering the parties.

One day, they were approached about hosting a same-sex marriage at their facility. They explained they wouldn’t be comfortable doing that for religious reasons. In other words, they were conscientious objectors looking for a way out. They didn’t violate anyone’s human rights. They didn’t commit any “hate crimes.” They didn’t call anyone names. They didn’t try to hurt anyone’s feelings. They just simply preferred to opt out of working on this event because their heart wouldn’t be in it.

As a result of this perfectly reasonable decision, a bureaucracy that supposedly guards people’s “human rights” zapped the Giffords with a $13,000 fine.

Have we lost our minds? Have we lost all common sense? Have we lost even the concept of “human rights”?

The Giffords are the victims of a human rights abuse, not the perpetrators. And they are hardly alone.

In an earlier column, I pointed out the same thing has happened to other small businesses, including photographers, cake bakers, florists and other caterers. It’s not just New York. At least four states have prosecuted individuals and businesses simply for choosing not to actively participate in “same-sex weddings” as a matter of personal conscience.

Here’s what I strongly suspect is going on here, because, in at least some of these cases, those approaching the businesses in question were customers who were very familiar with the values of those running them. So they actively decided to put people on the spot – asking observant, biblically centered Christians to take jobs that would violate their most personal beliefs. When they politely declined, these homosexual activists filed lawsuits or “civil rights” complaints with state agencies.

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You will notice that in all cases, they chose to put Christian businesses on the spot. Why? Because state agencies and judges don’t have any problem with punishing Christians for the free exercise of their faith.

But I can’t help but wonder what would happen if and when photographers, caterers, cake makers and florists of the Islamic faith were approached for similar opportunities.

I wonder why they haven’t been approached yet.

Actually, I don’t wonder at all. I think I know the reason.

These laws and regulations governments create to bestow special privileges and status on certain people are specifically designed to empower government and divide people into groups – some privileged and some unprivileged.

It would be a crisis for the multicultural utopianists to pit Muslims against homosexuals or vice versa. Muslims and homosexuals are at the vanguard of the multicultural revolution under way in America – a revolution at odds with the Judeo-Christian ethic upon which the nation was founded.

But the new rules and laws of this multicultural revolution, based, we are told, on principles of diversity and tolerance, are so shoddy, so shallow, so transparently flawed and so obviously corrupt that they actually foster intolerance, bigotry and coercion.

I made this point in previous writings – and, boy, did it hit a nerve.

Think about it. It’s really simple. If the folks who want to have a same-sex marriage are protected by laws honoring “sexual orientation,” why don’t those same laws protect the “sexual orientation” of the caterers, the florists, the bakers and photographers?

Don’t get my point?

OK, look at it this way: Suppose a devout Christian couple was planning a wedding at which the following biblical vow from Genesis 2:20-24 was to be read:

“And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

The couple wanted a videographer to capture this moment. They look at many different portfolios and find their favorite videographer is Lance. So they visit Lance and tell him what they have in mind. But Lance is an atheist homosexual, and he’s put off by the Christian couple’s whole concept – and tells them so. He would rather not perform this job.

Should Lance be sued? Should he be punished by the state’s human rights division? Should he be coerced to take the assignment?

Good heavens! Where is our freedom going?

What Does ISIS And Same Sex Marriage Have In Common?

THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TYRANNY

Exclusive: Joseph Farah warns of 'establishment of state religion, repeal of 1st Amendment'

Published: 17 hours ago

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Barn wedding reception (Photo: Joshua Rainey Photography, The Daily Signal)

Here we go, again.

You’ve heard about the Christian florists forced to close up their business after being forced by the state to pay egregious fines for politely declining to participate in same-sex marriages as a matter of religious conviction.

You’ve heard about the wedding cake bakers who were forced to close up their business after being forced by the state to pay egregious fines for politely declining to participate in same-sex marriages as a matter of religious conviction.

You’ve heard about the photographers who were forced to close up their business after being forced by the state to pay egregious fines for politely declining to participate in same-sex marriages as a matter of religious conviction.

Now meet Robert and Cynthia Gifford, family farmers who have been hit with a $13,000 fine by New York state’s division of human rights for politely declining to host a same-sex marriage as a matter of religious conviction.

These are real-life examples of citizens being deprived of the free exercise of their religious beliefs, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by officials in four different states. It’s becoming a trend. It’s what I call “same-sex marriage tyranny.”

In states that have rewritten their laws to change the definition of marriage from an institution between one man and one woman, or, which have been coerced to do so by federal judicial rulings, the rationale for such decisions has been “tolerance,” “diversity,” “non-discrimination” and other nice-sounding platitudes. But the consequences for these decisions mean just the opposite of “tolerance,” “diversity” and “non-discrimination” for some innocent bystanders – mostly Christians – who seek only to remain true to their religious convictions.

They are being coerced to become active participants in ceremonies and celebrations that violate their consciences – in America, a nation formed and codified in the law as a refuge for the free exercise of religion.

That this is happening all over the country already, and that it is necessary to write a column denouncing this kind of intolerance, lack of diversity and active discrimination against people based on their religious convictions is shocking and disturbing.

This is not the way a free society operates.

There is no inalienable right to force individuals or businesses through government coercion to become active participants in activity that violates their most fundamental religious or moral beliefs.

Let me pose a hypothetical intellectual challenge: The law that forms the basis for the action against the Giffords in New York is a provision that bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Yet, isn’t that precisely what is happening to the Giffords? Are they not being coerced to accept and approve someone else’s sexual orientation? Are they not permitted to hold their own sexual orientation, one that acknowledges their God’s definition that marriage is a union of one man and one woman?

The Giffords are not campaigning to prevent other people from following their own conscience as to their sexual choices and activities. It’s just the opposite. They are being coerced by the state to take part in the sexual choices and activities of others.

Isn’t that obvious?

I imagine there are people in America who believe heterosexual marriage is wrong. There were many feminist leaders years ago who claimed heterosexual marriage was the equivalent of “rape,” the moral equivalent of “slavery.” Should people with those kinds of convictions be forced by the state to participate in ceremonies and celebrations of heterosexual marriage? Or should they be free to follow the dictates of their consciences – as florists, bakers, photographers and caterers – to turn down such business?

I don’t think anyone in their right mind would want to coerce people with those ideas to serve them at their weddings. After all, who would want to do that – unless you were simply trying to limit individual liberty and choice?

And that’s exactly what the same-sex marriage tyrants are trying to do – to use state coercion to limit the liberty and choices of people who simply have different ideas about the institution of marriage.

Here’s a hypothetical analogy for you to consider: Suppose a Christian couple planning a marriage went to a Jewish baker and requested a wedding cake decorated with a cross. And suppose the Jewish baker felt uncomfortable with that idea. Should he forced to do so? I don’t think so. Nor can I imagine any Christian couple wanting to use the coercive power of the state to do that. They would simply go to another baker. That would be the logical, non-tyrannical thing to do.

Here’s another hypothetical scenario: Suppose a Jewish couple chooses a homosexual photographer to take pictures at their wedding. Among the things they require the photographer to do is to take a photo of them before a banner emblazoned with the following scripture verse: Genesis 2:24 – “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Maybe the photographer feels uncomfortable and even spiritually condemned with this requirement. Should he be forced by the state to do it because failing to accept the assignment would be tantamount to violating the Jewish couple’s “sexual orientation” or even their religious convictions? I don’t think so. Nor can I imagine any Jewish couple wanting to use the coercive power of the state to do that. They would simply go to another photographer. That would be the logical, non-tyrannical thing to do.

When “tolerance” becomes intolerance, we have bigotry.

When “diversity” becomes state-enforced conformity, we have religious persecution.

When “non-discrimination” becomes victimization of those with different religious and moral convictions, we literally have the establishment of a state religion and, effectively, the repeal of the First Amendment.

Who wants that?

It’s not Christians.

It’s not Jews.

Just look around and see for yourself.

Some people are trying to get the state to force those with different values, morals and religious idea to serve them in ways that violate their consciences.

I only see that kind of coercion demanded among two groups of people today – those who believe in the unlimited power of the state as their “god” and others who believe their god wants them to kill or subjugate all “infidels.”

Where do you stand?

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2014/08/the-same-sex-marriage-tyranny/#j0whrxhp4vfx0a60.99