Let that sink in. Really take a few minutes.Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill late Friday that gay rights advocates say would allow religious-based adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples, single people and non-Christians in placing children.The bill written by Republican Sen. Greg Treat provides legal protections to faith-based agencies that won’t place children in LGBT homes because of religious or moral convictions or policies.
"Allow."
This is the same principle that has been at stake in the Baronelle Stutzman and Jack Phillips cases and so many others.
Government trying to tell citizens and private organizations that they must conduct business in violation of their faith.
This Oklahoma law merely protects adoption agencies from being forced to consign innocent children to lives in sin-based family frameworks.
And yes, I've seen the social-media comments about how it's better to have children in loving homes than bouncing around the foster-home system.
That is not the point.
The point is made plain by the AP's use of the word "allow." It's predicated on the notion that our rights come from government, rather than God. It conjures an image of government doling out parameters of behavior in dribs and drabs as it sees fit, withholding those that don't fit within its grand collectivist design.
This is a moment for celebrating, not raging. Human freedom and the glorification of God have been advanced in the Sooner state.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
This is obviously beyond the AP's comprehension, but it's the glorious truth.
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ReplyDeleteNo, sir. It is you who have missed the crucial point. No one "must conduct business" with anyone. No one has put a gun to anyone's head and said: "You are hereby commanded to operate an adoption agency (or any other for-profit or not-for-profit organization)." However, if you choose to take advantage of the opportunities, benefits, and protections provided by our American society, then you are not allowed to discriminate against any group, no matter how justified you can convince yourself you are. This policy you so enthusiastically champion is unAmerican and despicable, as is all unwarrantyed animosity leveled at clusters of humanity with which you feel uncomfortable.
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ReplyDeleteNope. That's the old Elizabeth Warren argument - that since government ("society") built the roads leading to your place of business or nonprofit organization and hires police and firefighters to keep it secure, it has the power to tell your organization how to conducts its affairs (who you'll conduct business with, who you'll hire, what you'll pay them, etc.). The Most Equal Comrade expressed it as "you didn't build that." That's not freedom. That's provisional leeway that government ("society") reserves the right to take away on a whim.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is. Discrimination, fraud, reckless disregard, sanctions against doing business with terrorist nations, etc. Yes, if you want to open and operate a business in this great nation, then you must serve blacks, browns, gays and straights...everyone...at your lunch counter. If legality or human decency is beyond you, then close up shop and find something else to do with your time.
DeleteYour worldview is downright horrifying.
ReplyDeleteOK, fine. A law introduced by a Republican in OK got passed in the state legislature. It's now law, perhaps to undergo a constitutional test that usually takes years. Singles or couples anathema to this law need to wait or move elsewhere to, as you so bluntly put it, "sin in family frameworks." Do you know anyone who utilizes or utilized contraception? Fornicated before marriage? Drank too much on occasion? Misses Sunday services? Disobeyed their parents? Yelled at their kids? Was envious of someone else's success? Took the Lord's name in vain? So what's the criteria? The criteria are defined by law and Oklahoma changed their law. Glory to God that the sun has risen this morning somewhere and is again coming your way or going away again, this go round on 5/13/2018, it will light the day of some 7.5 Billion humans. A bit of in increase over the approximate 3 Billion in the year you were born. Yet we're more connected than ever worldwide. I'm not sure any human really knows what that means. And God ain't sayin' much. So what we got here is a whole lot of humans still trying to sort things out in what might be termed a shit storm. And here come the robots. They're gettin' pretty good at becoming human. Even your personal definition of what gives glory to God and what constitutes darkness and light is open to interpretation by other humans. That's freedom. God speed on your battle with your own sin, my man. May you and all men see and dwell in God's light. And do a double take for those no turn on red signs. And it looks like you just consigned Rick to darkness. I hope you stop shaking soon, because I doubt the boogeyman's gonna get you over Rick. But maybe you can deal with it by consigning him to hell.
ReplyDeleteGod's saying a whole lot. His presence is constant.
ReplyDeleteThe way I deal with any ugliness I find in myself or anyone else is to pray about it.
“Prayer does not change God, but it changes the one who offers it” – Soren Kierkegaard (1847)
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