DUH!Originally Posted by Zeitgeist
Some Christians are fighting against them. Many feel that the old beliefs and "rules" of these large, aggressive denominations is crooked and unjust and that many good people are unfairly persecuted, abused and sometimes even killed. However, according to your previous statements, that isn't good enough for you.Originally Posted by Zeitgeist
Change doesn't happen overnight, as you've referenced yourself in your posts. So why have so much hatred towards people who don't see things 100% the way you do?
Would you not stand side by side with someone fighting for gay rights simply because they said they believed in God? Are they not "good enough" in your eyes to support your cause?
What exactly do they undermine, specifically?Originally Posted by Zeitgeist
How exactly is it a conflict of interest?
It sounds to me like you are pushing for more rights for homosexuals but you're completely against any rights for any one who claims to believe in God (91% of the population of America).
Don't you feel this is hypocritical?
You have the freedom to believe that anyone who believes in God is silly. You even have the right to publicly express those opinions because of the country you live in.
But those other people have just as much right to believe as you have to not believe.
We have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. If you don't like it, you also have the freedom to challenge the laws and beliefs of this land. However, as long as you are living in a country with those laws, you are also obligated to respect them, at least to some extent.
There are some Christian religions that handle snakes (Google "Snake handlers") and I think this is absolutely ridiculous. I feel bad for the poor snakes. However, in America, they have the freedom to practice their religion how they choose.
The government cannot and should not step in and tell them "your religion is too dangerous to practice; you have to stop."
If we extend this power to the government, it could lead to them telling us our diet is too dangerous or driving our cars is too dangerous. Which is exactly why I don't think the government should be telling gay people they can't get married.
We allow heterosexual couples to get married so one can gain citizenship, or for someone to get military benefits from an active service member. Young people get married in some states to gain legal emancipation from their parents but these marriages are never challenged or even worse, banned, by the government because they are between heterosexual couples.
Do I believe this is right? No.
I've seen first-hand the damage legalities can cause to homosexual couples: not being able to get proper medical insurance on one another, legal troubles with children/custody, etc.
I do not believe the government should have the right to ban gay couples from getting married. I also don't believe they should force religious leaders to marry homosexual couples if it goes against that religious organization's moral belief. It should be the religious leader's choice if they want to marry the gay couple or not.
For non-religious ceremonies, no couple should be turned away because they are of the same sex. That is a personal and moral decision each person should make on their own. The government shouldn't have the right to dictate that just as it should not have the right to dictate one's religious beliefs.
My question to you is why you are so open to rights for homosexuals but you believe those who believe in God should have no rights at all- even those who are gay and believe in God?