Texas’s “Save Chick-fil-a Bill”

[Alolan_Apples]

So recently, the Texas state congress has passed a law that bans cities from banning businesses that support, are part of, or in affiliation with religious groups. Basically speaking, cities cannot ban businesses or groups for expressing religious faith in public or use religion to do something, whether or not someone agrees with them.

http://time.com/5592701/texas-save-chick-fil-a-bill/

The bill started in response to San Antonio’s ban of Chick-fil-a in airports due to their history of donations to organizations that oppose LGBT issues like same-sex marriage. While the left wing believes this is going to promote hatred towards LGBT people, the right wing believes that it’s not discriminatory towards LGBT people as it protects religious businesses from being discriminated against. Right now, it has yet to be signed by the governor, but once it does, it will become law.

Here are my beliefs about this issue:

First, I think it is wrong for San Antonio’s city government to ban Chick-fil-a in airports. Not only that does not comply with Texas’s values, but it is also an act of discrimination against Christians. To not let them operate their business for not supporting same-sex marriage is discrimination. Surprisingly, San Antonio is more conservative than the other four large cities of Texas (and the other US cities with over 1 million people), yet the city government did one thing conservatives hate most. What’s even more shameful about it is that this is a Texas city that’s discriminating against Christians. Not just any Texas city, but the city with Texas’s most iconic landmark - the Alamo.

Second, I support this bill, even if it takes power away from cities. Whether they are in favor of LGBT rights, to discriminate people based on religious beliefs, which includes practicing their religious beliefs, that is morally wrong, and evil. If you think discriminating based on race is bad, it’s just as bad to do it based on religious beliefs. If that’s not bad enough, they’re repeating exactly what the Romans did. In fact, I believe that if a city or state can’t respect people based on religious beliefs, they should be defunded from federal funds or state funds. Unless if part of their beliefs involve doing something harmful. But I don’t see any harm in donating to organizations that don’t support same-sex marriage.

Now onto the issue of LGBT rights. Here are the following things that I find acceptable:

• Believing that marriage is the union between one man and one woman or that the gender of a person is the gender they are born with.
  [*]Refusing to do something that violates your beliefs (such as attending a gay wedding).
  [*]Making donations to organizations that do oppose same-sex marriage or gay adoptions.
  [*]Supporting a candidate that opposes LGBT issues.

And what is not acceptable:

• Supporting violence or discrimination against LGBT people, including unethical treatment.
  [*]Refusing to do any service with LGBT people, even when it doesn’t violate your beliefs.
  [*]Denying employment to LGBT people.
  [*]Supporting organizations or candidates that do any of the above.

The stuff listed in green is just practicing religious beliefs, but the stuff listed in red is flat out discrimination. Not only that, but to use religion to do any of the above in red is also a violation of one of the core Christian beliefs. What this Texas bill is doing is that they’re trying to protect businesses that do one of the above in green. But the left wing thinks that even the stuff in green is still discrimination. And (according to their logic) if you’re not wholly with them, you’re against them completely.

But the issue isn’t about discrimination against LGBT. It’s about discrimination against Christians. And the purpose isn’t protect LGBT discrimination. It’s to stop cities from discriminating against Christians like what San Antonio is doing. I wouldn’t support discrimination against LGBT people at all. But you can’t put one person’s rights in front of another.

Going back to the Masterpiece Cakeshop incident, the apparent issue is about LGBT rights, but the real issue is about the persecution of Christians. If it were about LGBT rights, I would’ve criticized the couple for not using their common sense. But they are targeting Christians. In fact, they were looking for a bakery that won’t serve them anything. They are basically trying to set that bakery up and put them in trouble. When the Supreme Court ruled on this, they say that you can’t use religion to discriminate against LGBT people, but nobody can force people to violate their beliefs. Basically, one person’s rights do not trump another person’s rights.

Now if a business is discriminating against a particular group of people like what I said in red, then the city government is right about banning the business. That kind of discrimination is not acceptable. But the Texas bill will not protect those kind of businesses. So for now, I will not be going to San Antonio. Or any city that supports discrimination against any business for having different religious beliefs or different political beliefs.

 

[Alienfish]

Why would anyone support that chain really, since their money went to really bad things. Also your acceptable reasons is just pure bull****.

And don't blend in your religious supports with your work unless you're actually some really conservative priest for some reason.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

Why would anyone support that chain really, since their money went to really bad things. Also your acceptable reasons is just pure bull****.

And don't blend in your religious supports with your work unless you're actually some really conservative priest for some reason.

I would never support LGBT discrimination, never. But to believe that marriage is the union between one man and one woman isn’t discrimination. It just means that you support the idea of traditional marriage and that’s fine. Trying to get it outlawed is a different story, but Chick-fil-a isn’t trying to get involved in politics. And if you think it’s homophobic to support the idea of traditional marriage (even if they aren’t trying to make same-sex marriage illegal), then you clearly have social problems. That’s what’s wrong with today’s left wingers. They claim that not being with them on any issue is intolerant, and they resort to attacking. But I wouldn’t blame liberalism for making them intolerant. I blame passion.

But I’m not in defense of that or the organizations they are donating to. What I’m against is San Antonio’s ban on Chick-fil-a in airports. They are engaging in explicit discrimination. I’m also against boycotts of businesses for political reasons, as I cite that as “intolerant” and “bad for the economy”.

 

[Alienfish]

Yeah it's discrimination against people's sexual orientation and identification if anything. Also I don't believe in "traditional marriage", if two people of the same gender/sexuality or one woman and one man etc. want to marry it's still a marriage jfc.

No, but it's homophobic to basically to do anything "acceptable", imo:

Believing that marriage is the union between one man and one woman or that the gender of a person is the gender they are born with.
Refusing to do something that violates your beliefs (such as attending a gay wedding).
Making donations to organizations that do oppose same-sex marriage or gay adoptions.
Supporting a candidate that opposes LGBT issues.

You basically give someone or something power that is homophobic and showing yourself as one. It's as worse refusing abortion bc "lol im christian" then get another work?

Also yeah keep your beliefs for yourselves and just show people support. It's sad that conservatives are so backward striving.

 

[Kamzitty]

“When the Supreme Court ruled on this, they say that you can’t use religion to discriminate against LGBT people, but nobody can force people to violate their beliefs. Basically, one person’s rights do not trump another person’s rights.“

This type of thinking is very flawed. Serving people who are LGBT does not go against Christian values and beliefs at all. As a former Christian, I was taught to love and accept everyone no matter what. My experience in the church showed me most Christians love to pick and choose what they deem is okay or isn’t okay, which is a big reason why I do not follow that religion anymore. It’s definitely not fair for businesses to discriminate against people for their lifestyle and there is absolutely no defending this type of behavior. Just because someone is religious doesn’t mean they get a pass to treat people badly, or refuse them their help and services.
Im not saying that San Antonio’s airport ban is right, either.. I don’t believe boycotting a business because of what organizations they choose to donate to will make anything right. Every business does shady things. My point is, it’s not okay to try to justify businesses that may refuse service to people due to religious beliefs, period. The Bible doesn’t state anywhere that you shouldn’t associate/help/service anyone LGBT.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

To be fair, Jack Phillips (the guy that runs the Masterpiece Cakeshop) is too biased to the point where he’ll use religion to back out of anything he doesn’t like. Want some Halloween cupcakes? You won’t get them from the Masterpiece Cakeshop because it’s a “Satanic Ritual” (it really isn’t).

In defense of LGBT, when they say that “same-sex marriage is a sin”, I don’t believe getting involved in any way is a problem. Attend their wedding, make wedding cakes, sell wedding flowers, or take pictures of a wedding, it’s just like every other wedding. It’s only a sin to be married to someone of the same sex, but we’re all sinners anyway. There’s no reason to object to same-sex marriage if God has given us free will and if we violated other principles.

In defense of Masterpiece Cakeshop, I think the real reason why they’re being targeted is because they practice a religion that had a long history of bigotry and violence (including the crusades). Even if they will make wedding cakes for gay weddings, the fact that their religion had the Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, and other stuff like witchcraft trials is why they are in trouble.

My point is, San Antonio is wrong to ban Chick-fil-a from their airports, and Texas is right to pass a law that prohibits cities from banning businesses. But if they were to do that, they should also ban cities from banning businesses based on political opinions.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

Also, I’m not going to delete this blog. I choose to stand with what I said in my blog, but to whoever disagrees, you made good points.

 

[Alienfish]

I'm not saying you should delete the blog, but this entry is honestly just a trainwreck and the greens and red are the same, just that one is direct and one is more indirect. Why would you even post that here though since the forum is significantly LGBTQ+ friendly. And I'd totally ban those chicken people if they were to give money to those discrimination things.

Sadly there are some bible thumpers that are against LGBTQ+ because "the book says so" which is just bad and you shouldn't mix that into your work, then go work as some conservative priest yet again, and if you go thump a book and think people are sinners there is something wrong as well. Where exactly does it say you should discriminate people because of their sex/gender etc?

It’s only a sin to be married to someone of the same sex, but we’re all sinners anyway.

How exactly is that relevant when you are trying to make a point? That is not a damn sin and all people regardless of sex/gender have the right to marry wherever.

And the point you are trying to make is not doing any good and you are basically defending discrimination and trying to lean everything on religion. Yes organizations might be shady but when someone straight out admits they do that then yes they deserve a ban.

And yeah I agree with Kammm, love and accept everyone. Unless they prove themselves to be bad.

 

[Alienfish]

Also, it's not really pure discrimination about and towards Christians either, if they do something bad such as donating to oppress others that is not really christian beliefs to love everyone. If they wanna have an opinion like this I think it was very dumb of them to even donate to that organization, or in your other cases refuse to serve, attend etc. Just swallow your pride and/or try to be more open and accepting, people need to learn religion shouldn't be used for hate.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

The reason why I think the stuff I written in green isn’t homophobic or discrimination is because when I define a term, I appeal to the strict definition of the term. In my words, homophobia is only the fear or hatred of gays and lesbians. It would also be homophobic if you were to deny employment or refuse all services, especially out of hatred. The ones written in green don’t involve the hatred towards homosexuals. It’s only homophobic if it involves hatred or outright discrimination against them.

But I understand why others would believe that the stuff I said in green is homophobic. While it doesn’t involve the hatred towards homosexuals, they are against issues we call “LGBT rights”. By not supporting it, you’re basically going against it, and if you want to appeal to the LGBT community, you should not only avoid bigotry, but you also listen to them on their issues and support them.

That’s all I have to say here.

 

[Alienfish]

Well it is per definition phobia and discrimination indirectly since you still support it, even though through other actors. It can also be slurs and opinions as well.

You can have your opinions but as I said this entry is a trainwreck and you are basically not making a good point whatsoever.

 

[cakiepop]

I'm sorry to cause trouble, I know you got into an argument with a user earlier. And I also know this is an old blog. But as an LGBT member, I feel like the point you made about it being okay to support a candidate who's against LGBT or to donate to a group that is against LGBT rights is wrong. Especially if you're a big company that people love like Chik-fil-A.

You see, supporting those types of people gives them power. And with that power they can change minds. I already face enough discrimination just walking down the street with a gay pride wristband. I couldn't imagine not being able to marry the woman I love.

Instating someone into office who could take away my right to be treated equally would be a nightmare for my life as a whole. I don't care what your religion is. I just want to be left alone and live a normal life with a wife and a kid. And donating to people who want to take that right away from me is just plain wrong.

I do think, however, that banning someone from having a store or business just because they donated to groups like that is wrong. Everyone does shady things. Especially businesses.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

I got news. This bill has been signed on June 10th. It will go into effect on September 1st.

EDIT: The mainstream news agencies are already reporting it. I know it was signed on June 10th, but the news reports state that it’s signed yesterday.