Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. -Amendment 1; The Constitution of the United States.
Above all else, before protecting anything else, our founding fathers wanted to protect the freedom of religion. Christianity was the predominant form of religion in America at the time the founding fathers wrote this amendment; and Christianity is based upon the Bible.
"They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine." -1 Tim. 7-11, NIV
In this passage from the Bible, the law is written for sinners- including the homosexual. Homosexuality is sin.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." -Matthew 5:17, NIV
Jesus did not come to get rid of the law set up in the Old Testament, but to fulfill that law- to become the required sacrifice for those who repent and follow His teaching. His teaching does not go against the law- as a Christian, you still must not murder, commit adultery, or...
"Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable...Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God." -Leviticus 18: 22, 24-29 NIV
People have chosen homosexuality for thousands of years. The law Christians live by says it is detestable and that we should stay away from people who are homosexuals (among others), and we should not be homosexuals.
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." -Hebrews 10:26-31 NIV
For Churches who tell homosexuals they are accepted as they are, they will have to answer to God as it says in Hebrews and elsewhere- they are encouraging sin and telling others it is okay to sin even after they have decided to take Christ's name. For homosexuals who become Christians and continue to practice homosexuality- well, you can read about their fate in Hebrews 10:31 as well.
Many cry "Love your neighbor as yourself!"
That was the second most important command according to Jesus; they miss that the number one commandment "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." If you love God, you will obey Him. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will do everything in your power to prevent his or her eternal suffering.
"Judge not, lest ye be judged." I don't have to judge anyone- the Bible (God) has already judged homosexuality to be detestable.
My religious freedom is protected by the first amendment. Why should I have to go against my religion -the primary religion that the founding fathers had in mind when they wrote the Constitution- or to pay court fees should I choose to stand by my faith and not work for homosexuals? The bill signed into law by Mike Pence supports my religious freedoms. It also supports the religious freedoms of minority religions including Muslims and Jewish people.
Sadly, what bill protesters want is a one way street. According to those complaining, I should not be allowed to practice my religious beliefs, Muslims should not be allowed to practice their religious beliefs, Jewish people should not be allowed to practice their religious beliefs. In their eyes, once anyone starts a business, he or she should automatically be forced to give their religion up. In fact, the only people who should be allowed to practice what they believe (according to the protesters of this law) are homosexuals. Will a homosexual bakery make a cake that says, "Gay Marriage Is Wrong"? The videos on that page are very enlightening.
Some people also have a mistaken belief that homosexuality is genetic. They use that as a reason that homosexuals should receive extra protection- because they "can't help themselves." Sorry, the only twin research that supports the statement "homosexuality is genetic" has been done by targeting homosexuals and/or using small populations (fewer than 1000). When you look at large general studies, such as this one and this one, you find that social and environmental factors are the driving forces behind homosexuality. There is no support or possibility of a female genetic link to homosexuality, and although researchers leave the chance for a male homosexuality gene open (it would only be a marker for the potential to develop homosexualtiy- not a definite "this makes a person homosexual" gene; if environmental and social factors are not involved, a person positive for any genes they find will still be heterosexual), there is a better chance of finding a "divorce" gene. Homosexuality is a choice, just as my religion is my choice. My religious choice and right to freely exercise my religion was specifically protected by our founding fathers. Your homosexuality was not.
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