Only because some threads are too large!

[Alchemy]

Only because some threads are too large!

How should religious Liberty apply to gays? Or LGBT?

[Dr. Shane]

You mean should the civil government allow gays the same right to choose their religion as it does the rest of society? Of course it should.

You mean should the civil government not interfere with gays practicing the religion of their choice as their religion teaches? Of course it shouldn't interfere.

Religious liberty means the government allows different religions the right to practice their religious faith without the government interfering. In the United States it is protected by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.

There have been some restrictions. Two that I can think of most quickly is polygamy and narcotic drug use. The government has been able to ban polygamy from being practiced by Muslims and some off-shoot Morman sects. Some see that as a violation of religious liberty. The government has also been able to ban the use of narcotics in a Native American tribal religion. That too is seen as a violation of religious liberty by some.

I am not aware of any attempts by the government to ban gays from practicing their religion. Perhaps some see the ban against gay marriage in some states as an infringement upon the religious right granted by a gay's church to marry the one they love. That would probably fall into the same category as the government ban against polygamy that is imposed on Muslims and off-shoot Morman sects. While the government in these states does not officially recognize such marriages, church denominations that believe in gay marriage are free to marry same-sex couples and recognize them as being married within their denomination. So the civil government isn't actually banning the gays from being married by the church, it is simply not officially recognizing it in a civil sense as being a legal marriage.

The bigger concern in regard to religious liberty and gays is whether or not religions that believe homosexuality is a sin will have their religious liberty violated for that belief. An example is a Catholic adoption service that was force to close because it was not willing to place children with gay couples. The civil government shouldn't be allowed to step in and force a religious organizations to accommodate homosexual couples when the religious organizations views gay unions as sinful.

[Parade Orange]

SHANE!

i owe u an apology for my words here to u!

its been established that we dont agree

and your comments about this topic [thats is close to my heart]

i see as insensitive and unchristian

i do appreciate its your right and choice and i prefer you telling me what you think of the matter even if i dont like it

it is no excuse for me to be downright rude to you

im sorry

forum puplic apology

for a very forum public evil words from me to you

GOD BLESS YOU

Sincerly

Stephen

[olger]

"The bigger concern in regard to religious liberty and gays is whether or not religions that believe homosexuality is a sin will have their religious liberty violated for that belief. An example is a Catholic adoption service that was force to close because it was not willing to place children with gay couples. The civil government shouldn't be allowed to step in and force a religious organizations to accommodate homosexual couples when the religious organizations views gay unions as sinful."

This the only rational position that a believer can take, and honor the Word of God.

[Dr. Shane]

SHANE!

i owe u an apology for my words here to u!

A text format makes it difficult to communicate feelings. If you have been rude to me in the past, I have not picked up on that. If you have felt I was being rude, it is probably due to the limitations of the text format. I love all people and have carried a burden for gay people especially. I think we can agree to disagree without judging each others' motives.

Your apology is accepted although I never felt that you owed me one. I apologize to you if I have hurt you by the way I have worded any of my posts. I doubt I would have ever offended you if we had been sitting across a potluck table face to face and having the same conversation. I do not apologize for the positions I have expressed but do reserve the right to be wrong.

God bless.

[Alchemy]

You mean should the civil government allow gays the same right to choose their religion as it does the rest of society? Of course it should.

You mean should the civil government not interfere with gays practicing the religion of their choice as their religion teaches? Of course it shouldn't interfere.

Religious liberty means the government allows different religions the right to practice their religious faith without the government interfering. In the United States it is protected by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.

There have been some restrictions. Two that I can think of most quickly is polygamy and narcotic drug use. The government has been able to ban polygamy from being practiced by Muslims and some off-shoot Morman sects. Some see that as a violation of religious liberty. The government has also been able to ban the use of narcotics in a Native American tribal religion. That too is seen as a violation of religious liberty by some.

I am not aware of any attempts by the government to ban gays from practicing their religion. Perhaps some see the ban against gay marriage in some states as an infringement upon the religious right granted by a gay's church to marry the one they love. That would probably fall into the same category as the government ban against polygamy that is imposed on Muslims and off-shoot Morman sects. While the government in these states does not officially recognize such marriages, church denominations that believe in gay marriage are free to marry same-sex couples and recognize them as being married within their denomination. So the civil government isn't actually banning the gays from being married by the church, it is simply not officially recognizing it in a civil sense as being a legal marriage.

The bigger concern in regard to religious liberty and gays is whether or not religions that believe homosexuality is a sin will have their religious liberty violated for that belief. An example is a Catholic adoption service that was force to close because it was not willing to place children with gay couples. The civil government shouldn't be allowed to step in and force a religious organizations to accommodate homosexual couples when the religious organizations views gay unions as sinful.

Well, I would say the civil government doesn't have any authority in this matter.

People can join whatever church they want. But, that church has the right to accept or reject people based on their beliefs.

Is anyone familiar with a case in California CLS v. Kane, which I believe has been changed to CLS v. Martinez. It has been a while since I've read anything on this case, but we see the LGBT community imposing it's will on religion and using the civil government to do it.

[BobRyan]

Agreed - prostitutes, drug addicts, robbers, swindlers etc should all be free to choose whatever church, whatever religion they please.

But that does not mean we who know better should refrain from speaking to them about the Gospel.

Same ol' same ol'

in Christ,

Bob