No, they aren't. Not at all. You can "deeply hold" any belief you want to in this country. But you cannot act on them in denial of the rights of others.
Two big problems with your analysis here.
First, the notion that same sex marriage is a constitutional right is an invention of the liberal mind. There isn't a single shred of evidence that the founding father's ever concieved that such a right existed.
Second, even if (and probably when) the kangaroo court decides to write the same sex marriage into the constitution by judicial fiat (which is what is likely to happen in June) the first amendment should still protect the religious rights of proprietors. A Jewish deli is not "denying" the rights of an atheist to eat bacon if the owner refuses to make BLTs in the deli. If the atheist wants a BLT, he can go someplace that has no religious compulsions against preparing bacon.
Nobody would conclude that the atheist's right to eat bacon trumps the religious rights of the deli owner and yet this is exactly what is being demanded of bible believing Christians. For bible believers, the free exercise of religion gives way to the demands of a same sex couple who want the right to demand a cake and the right to compel someone to make it.
PureX said:
The first amendment does not allow anyone to deny and abuse the rights of other people.
Precisely.
And this is why the first amendment does not allow the law to compel someone to participate in a same sex ceremony if doing so is religiously offensive to the proprietor of a business, even if that business is in a wedding related industry.
PureX said:
You are simply wrong in your interpretation of the the law in this regard.
Wrong. Period.
:chuckle:
That's an interesting way to avoid discussing the issue logically.
PureX said:
Once again, you are simply wrong about this. The first amendment does not allow anyone to deny or abuse the rights of others for the purpose of "free speech". It never has intended that, and it does not intend that, still.
Since we are talking about constitutional intent, can you point out where in the constitution we can find the right to same sex marriage?
:think:
PureX said:
Oh, I'm sure you have your excuses and justifications, just as those other "liberals" do, but the bottom line is that you ignore the religious laws that you know are obsolete and ridiculous,...
You can be willingly ignorant about these matters if you like but your ignorance of old testament theology does not erase the fact that there are clear, biblical reasons for why new testament believers don't practice many old testament laws.
PureX said:
...while you obsess on those that ratify your disgust of homosexuals, and others.
You should stop practicing armchair psychology. You aren't any good at it.
First, I happen to know people who struggle with same sex attraction who are just as fervent in their belief that same sex marriage is sinful as I am. Your attempt to broad brush all of us who believe the bible on this matter fails miserably.
Second, as a non-believer, years ago, I affirmed the perversions of my gay friends and held to a very relativistic attitude about the issue so your attempt at armchair psychoanalysis fails again.
Finally, it doesn't matter what I find disgusting or appealing, it matters what God says He finds disgusting and it is clear that God finds same sex behavior "detestable." For Christians who are really being conformed to the image of Christ, we find that what disgusts us and what appeals to us changes as we grow in Christ.
PureX said:
As any good Christian bigot would naturally do. And as they have done for many centuries.
Angry name calling, It saddens me that you have stooped to this so soon.
:down:
PureX said:
Blah, blah, blah. Of course it's all your interpretation or its all wrong.
Do you have a better interpretation?
Let's hear it.
I
wanted the conservative Christians to be wrong on this so I could continue to enjoy the approval of the world since I worked with a number of openly gay people and standing firm on this issue was much harder than just caving to the pressure of "celebrating alternative lifestyles."
But God's word doesn't bend to what I want, it beckons me to bend what I want to what God says is true.
PureX said:
Every bigot says that. And every bigot believes it. Because that's the whole point of being a bigot: being more right than everyone else.
Ad Hominem attack, not worth responding to.
PureX said:
Being superior to everyone else. And ultimately being in control of everyone else.
Explain to me how politely refusing to make someone a wedding cake is an attempt to control everyone else...?
PureX said:
Blah, blah, blah, …you excuse what you want to excuse, and you retain what you want to retain. Just like every other "liberal" Christian does.
:chuckle:
You're bating and I'm not taking the bait.
I'm not "excusing" God's word. God's word doesn't need excusing as if you are the judge and God's word is on trial. I am not ashamed of Christ or His word.
Are you ashamed of what God's word says on this topic PureX?
PureX said:
The only real difference is who you want to make suffer for it.
Explain to me how asking a gay "couple" to find someone else to take pictures of their ceremony causes undo "suffering"...?
PureX said:
Of course I am. Only your interpretation of the Bible is the right one.
Still waiting on your interpretation.
Its funny, this argument gets trotted out regularly but the only ones actually explaining and defending interpretations of these scriptures are the conservative Christians.
The liberal Christians eventually run away from those discussions or bypass them altogether.
PureX said:
So any disagreement on my part MUST BE FALLACIOUS. How could it possibly be otherwise, since you cannot possibly be wrong?
Would you like to demonstrate where I err in my interpretation?
Be my guest.
Just for you, I've created a thread for you to do so.
http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4285108#post4285108
But lets not lose focus.
Am I free to interpret the bible the way I do?
Am I free to allow my actions to be harmonious with my interpretations?
Are Jews free to interpret the Old Testament to forbid the preparation of bacon? Are they free to allow their restaurants to be harmonious with those interpretations?
PureX said:
And Christian bigots hold steadfastly to what the Bible says that promotes those principals that justify their presumption of their own superiority over those they seek to diminish and despise.
You
really stink at armchair psychology.
PureX said:
Like the gays and the "liberals" and the atheists, etc.,.
And being bigots, you naturally assume that you know what's best for them,
Umm, no.
I presume to know what God says is best for all of us. Religions make those kinds of claims PureX.
Islam does, Buddhism does, Hinduism does, Christianity does..
Your statements here have just condemned anyone who holds to any religion of bigotry by virtue of their claiming to know what God says is best for His creation.
PureX said:
because you're knowledge of such things is superior to theirs;
If I thought I was wrong, I'd change my mind...
Do you generally hold on to an opinion when you think that your opinion is the
inferior alternative on a topic?
PureX said:
...even about their own lives! And being so much more superior, and so loving toward them, an all, it's then OK for you to want to punish them...
I don't want to punish them for their wicked choices, that's God's job, I just don't want to be forced to make a cake for the ceremony or take pictures.
PureX said:
...and deny them their rights as equal citizens when they dare to disagree with your superior wisdom about God, and life, and sin, and punishment, and, well … everything.
Take a breath.
Are you done ranting?
PureX said:
Isn't that right? You don't hate them, you just find that they deserve to be punished if they dare to disagree with you, is all. Because you are their superior in every way, and by God's command. Isn't that right?
This has degenerated into an intellectual tantrum, your responses are more Ad Hominem than logical argument.