Is Tolerance a One Way Street?
The Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments this week as to whether gay marriage is a Constitutional right. The gay community insists it is their right to marry whomever they want regardless of gender. Though this is different than all of human history, we are told society must be tolerant. They claim their rights are guaranteed by the Constitution itself.
The backdrop to this Supreme Court drama is tolerance itself. Just days ago a bureaucratic body in Oregon recommended a $135,000 fine against the owners of a bakery there that had declined to participate in a gay wedding. When a lesbian couple approached Aaron and Melissa Klein about making their wedding cake, the Kleins cited their Christian beliefs, politely declined and recommended another quality bakery. For exercising their religious beliefs, the Kleins lost their bakery and now are facing a$135,000 government imposed penalty.
Of particular interest is how the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries arrived at the amount of the penalty. A hearing was held where the lesbian couple had an opportunity to share how their lives were impacted by being asked to use a different bakery a couple miles away. They had a long list of impacts including loss of appetite, weight gain, restarting smoking and feelings ranging from surprise to worry. The list included 88 items in all and every single discontent in their life could be traced to the Christian couple’s decision not to participate in their wedding. One of the ladies Mom testified as did a brother. No psychiatrist. No psychologist. No mental health professional at all. Just the loving ladies and their complaints of being pale and sick at home. For their self diagnosis of emotional distress an award of $135,000 was recommended.
The Kleins have no idea how they will pay such a huge sum. Their business was forced to close as a result of the complaint. One conservative group set up crowd funding on GoFundMe to help the Kleins and collected over $100,000 in just eight hours, but angry gay activists apparently have no tolerance for Christians helping Christians. They pressured GoFundMe into closing the account and the Kleins are back where they started.
Chalk up a victory for the gay agenda over the First Amendment.
In Oregon at least, you cannot refuse someone even if the requested act compromises your religious beliefs. If you do, you will be hammered into submission in the name of tolerance. Close your business. Perhaps pushed in bankruptcy. Your life altered forever.
Unless you are gay. Apparently the gay community exempts itself from the very tolerance it demands.
The Out is a “straight-friendly” gay hotel in New York. For years the owners have championed gay causes, contributed to gay fundraisers and built their livelihood on people choosing the gay lifestyle. Senator Ted Cruz, an evangelical Christian is not a supporter of gay marriage. Neither is he an advocate of discrimination. Senator Cruz
recently scheduled an event at The Out Hotel. One of the owners, Ian Reisner, broke bread with Senator Cruz and engaged him in conversation about a variety of topics including gay marriage.
For his efforts at open communication and tolerance of a view other than his own Reisner was overwhelmingly met by the very same gay community he has long championed - with intolerance. Angry homosexuals were furious that he had done business with a traditional conservative. Why didn’t he say no and decline Cruz’s business? The fact that Reisner had shared dinner and chat with Senator Cruz put them into an absolute tither. It seems that Christian businesses like the Oregon bakers can’t say no, but gay activists were livid when one of their own hadn’t slammed the door on a conservative Christian. What happened to tolerance?
At first the owner of The Out defended his actions and pointed out the importance of a dialog between differing parties. But after the gay community began to organize a boycott against his homo-dependent establishment his tune changed. Unlike the baker in Oregon or others around the country that have suffered financial ruin but remained steadfast in their principles, the proprietor of The Out Hotel decided the angry intolerance of his gay brethren was more than he could handle.
He capitulated. He apologized. He demonized Ted Cruz. He expressed regret that he’d done business with the Senator. He embraced the very intolerance he has fought against for years.
The lesson here is that if your belief system runs afoul of the gay agenda, even if you are gay yourself, you are intolerant and will be destroyed. But if you are promoting the gay lifestyle, intolerance is not only accepted, it’s on the first page of the playbook.
The Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments this week as to whether gay marriage is a Constitutional right. The gay community insists it is their right to marry whomever they want regardless of gender. Though this is different than all of human history, we are told society must be tolerant. They claim their rights are guaranteed by the Constitution itself.
The backdrop to this Supreme Court drama is tolerance itself. Just days ago a bureaucratic body in Oregon recommended a $135,000 fine against the owners of a bakery there that had declined to participate in a gay wedding. When a lesbian couple approached Aaron and Melissa Klein about making their wedding cake, the Kleins cited their Christian beliefs, politely declined and recommended another quality bakery. For exercising their religious beliefs, the Kleins lost their bakery and now are facing a$135,000 government imposed penalty.
Of particular interest is how the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries arrived at the amount of the penalty. A hearing was held where the lesbian couple had an opportunity to share how their lives were impacted by being asked to use a different bakery a couple miles away. They had a long list of impacts including loss of appetite, weight gain, restarting smoking and feelings ranging from surprise to worry. The list included 88 items in all and every single discontent in their life could be traced to the Christian couple’s decision not to participate in their wedding. One of the ladies Mom testified as did a brother. No psychiatrist. No psychologist. No mental health professional at all. Just the loving ladies and their complaints of being pale and sick at home. For their self diagnosis of emotional distress an award of $135,000 was recommended.
The Kleins have no idea how they will pay such a huge sum. Their business was forced to close as a result of the complaint. One conservative group set up crowd funding on GoFundMe to help the Kleins and collected over $100,000 in just eight hours, but angry gay activists apparently have no tolerance for Christians helping Christians. They pressured GoFundMe into closing the account and the Kleins are back where they started.
Chalk up a victory for the gay agenda over the First Amendment.
In Oregon at least, you cannot refuse someone even if the requested act compromises your religious beliefs. If you do, you will be hammered into submission in the name of tolerance. Close your business. Perhaps pushed in bankruptcy. Your life altered forever.
Unless you are gay. Apparently the gay community exempts itself from the very tolerance it demands.
The Out is a “straight-friendly” gay hotel in New York. For years the owners have championed gay causes, contributed to gay fundraisers and built their livelihood on people choosing the gay lifestyle. Senator Ted Cruz, an evangelical Christian is not a supporter of gay marriage. Neither is he an advocate of discrimination. Senator Cruz
recently scheduled an event at The Out Hotel. One of the owners, Ian Reisner, broke bread with Senator Cruz and engaged him in conversation about a variety of topics including gay marriage.
For his efforts at open communication and tolerance of a view other than his own Reisner was overwhelmingly met by the very same gay community he has long championed - with intolerance. Angry homosexuals were furious that he had done business with a traditional conservative. Why didn’t he say no and decline Cruz’s business? The fact that Reisner had shared dinner and chat with Senator Cruz put them into an absolute tither. It seems that Christian businesses like the Oregon bakers can’t say no, but gay activists were livid when one of their own hadn’t slammed the door on a conservative Christian. What happened to tolerance?
At first the owner of The Out defended his actions and pointed out the importance of a dialog between differing parties. But after the gay community began to organize a boycott against his homo-dependent establishment his tune changed. Unlike the baker in Oregon or others around the country that have suffered financial ruin but remained steadfast in their principles, the proprietor of The Out Hotel decided the angry intolerance of his gay brethren was more than he could handle.
He capitulated. He apologized. He demonized Ted Cruz. He expressed regret that he’d done business with the Senator. He embraced the very intolerance he has fought against for years.
The lesson here is that if your belief system runs afoul of the gay agenda, even if you are gay yourself, you are intolerant and will be destroyed. But if you are promoting the gay lifestyle, intolerance is not only accepted, it’s on the first page of the playbook.
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