Faith Groups Increasingly Lose Gay Rights Fights

[stopbush]

Faith Groups Increasingly Lose Gay Rights Fights

By Jacqueline L. Salmon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 10, 2009; Page A04

Faith organizations and individuals who view homosexuality as sinful and refuse to provide services to gay people are losing a growing number of legal battles that they say are costing them their religious freedom.

The lawsuits have resulted from states and communities that have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation. Those laws have created a clash between the right to be free from discrimination and the right to freedom of religion, religious groups said, with faith losing. They point to what they say are ominous recent examples:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/09/AR2009040904063.html?nav=hcmodule

[YOY]

1. ...

:nopity:

[Strong Atheist]

10. Agreed! nt.

[polichick]

2. Great news - I can't wait until religious fanatics are completely marginalized...

...in this country and around the world.

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Jesus and I are still waiting for his regular followers to condemn the nutcases

It seems to me that there are more defenders of nutcases in the ranks of the faithful than there are reasonable people, particularly judging by the whining and defending done when anyone points a finger at extremist members of their own sect.

[polichick]

8. So true - very few mainstream Christians speak out in support of Jesus' teachings...

...and against the crazies.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. If they would, I would respect them a lot more

And they would be better Christians for it too, I'm guessing. :)

[BattyDem]

3. The thing about religious freedom is ...

it ends where another person's rights begin.

[frebrd]

4. K&R! n/t

[Kerrytravelers]

6. What part of "My rights end at the tip of my nose" confuses these people?

And, quite frankly, they only seemed concerned about their own religious rights. They never care about anyone elses. What wonderful "Christians."

[laconicsax]

7. They think it only applies to others?

[Ian David]

11. Not "faith" groups... hate groups that godwash their bigotry. n/t

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Same thing n/t

[Occam Bandage]

13. We don't honor white supremacist groups' decisions to call themselves "pride groups."

[TechBear_Seattle]

15. We must be respectful of religion

Even when "religion" really translates as "God tells me that you are a despicable sub-human and orders me to treat you as such." Once we hear or see the word "God," we are must smile politely and say without the slightest trace of sarcasm, "You are entitled to your beliefs and I will respect them."

[Occam Bandage]

17. I agree with you that we oughtn't allow religion to stand as an excuse for bigotry and hatred.

However, I think Ian David is correct in his distinction between "faith" and "hate." While I don't want to fall into the trap of thinking that our particular rhetorical decisions on DU can shift the public debate in any perceptible way, I do think it is valuable to maintain a distinction between "faith group" and "hate group," and to protest any attempt to disguise hate as faith. I would guess your position is either that the two terms are for all intents and purposes entirely synonymous and so any attempt to split the two is bound to fail, or that religiosity and bigotry are so entwined that the two cannot be split. I disagree with both.

For instance, suppose we have a meeting house of the Society of Friends. I think that group of Quakers could be safely called a "faith group." Or suppose we have a pack of homophobes of various denominations under an umbrella organization working together to coordinate their anti-gay-rights efforts. I think that is purely a hate group, and should not be dignified in public with the term "faith."

[Ian David]

19. You are correct, and my friend "Ignored" probably said something ignorant again. n/t

[Ian David]

16. Did my friend "ignored" say something ignorant again? n/t

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. Unlike you, I would rather be ignored than ignorant n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

14. Exactly

And a small (though loud and obnoxious) minority, too.