Who spent 8 years demonizing a Christian. If you are referring to Obama, I often commented that I thought his personal example as it relates to his family was excellent. I did not agree with his policies including those restricting religious freedom. He knew better. The Supreme Court has made very clear for more than fifty years that “accommodating” an individual’s religion where possible is the “law of the land”. Obama lost his attempts to restrict religious freedom in various court cases. Two examples are below:
https://www.becketlaw.org/case/littlesisters/
https://newsroom.hobbylobby.com/hobby-lobby-case/
As an aside, Trump also garnered the votes of most Orthodox Jews.
I love your last line of your message… “you are free to practice your faith any way you want, just not force us to adhere to it”. Exactly. And that is the reason why Trump got the vast majority of the evangelical vote. It was not his personal life but rather his position on religious freedom and his promise to appoint Supreme Court Justices that support religious freedom that got him the support of the majority of evangelicals… maybe not yours… but something like 70–75%. Strangely based on your own response, you also support religious freedom… just like Trump…
And I agree with you, you should practice your faith as you wish and I mine and should they come into conflict then the first step is not to determine mine is wrong or yours is wrong, but seek an accommodation of both. That is the essence of civil liberties… and religious freedom…
Now in the recent Democratic debates, Beto said he would take away the tax exemption enjoyed by any church that does adhere to his beliefs of right and wrong concerning gay marriage. In your mind, what gives him that right? And before you get all fired up and call me a bigot, I have no issue with gay couples being “married”. Because our secular laws creates certain rights for married couples, gay couples should have those same rights. But US law should not attempt to govern religious beliefs.
So I don’t think anyone should force a church that opposes gay marriage to perform them as Beto is suggesting or lose their tax exempt status. And truthfully, it will never survive a Supreme Court challenge. Interestingly, many Democrats asked him to retract that statement as it is perhaps one of the most “damning” things a Democratic Presidential candidate has said this year on curbing civil liberties (specifically religious freedom).
All at once, you have candidates wanting to limit free speech, freedom of religion, the right to own guns, etc. All advocate such policies in the interest of the “greater good”. But that “greater good” argument is exactly the reason why the Founding Fathers establish “civil rights” in the first place to protect all of us from have our lives dictated by “the greater good”.
Under the accommodation provision of the law, there are plenty of churches and other institutions willing to marry gay couples… so why violate a person’s religious convictions (a church is nothing more than a congregation of members)? Would the government prosecute a mosque that refuses to perform a gay marriage or hire a gay Iman? How about an Orthodox Jewish temple that refuses to hire a gay Rabbi or perform a gay marriage? How would liberals respond to denying Muslims and Orthodox Jews their religious freedom?
So step down from your high horse… I am not telling you what to believe, but simply responding to the article by the Atlantic and the question it raises about evangelical support (not yours… but more than 70% of self identified evangelicals). I do respect that you have your own beliefs and I hope the government will continue to uphold your right to hold them.
