Tolerance and Religious Persecution

I was listening to the radio this morning and heard of a case that the Alliance Defense Fund was taking in New Mexico. A Christian couple owns a photography studio in NM and a lesbian couple approaches them and wants to hire them to photograph their "Commencement Ceremony". (In NM, Gay marriage isn't legal and isnt recognized) the Christian couple politely declines to take the job because it goes against their religious and moral values. The angry lesbians then commence to suing the small privately owned studio for discrimination! The couple is fined $7000 for their "intolerant" views. The ADF is now taking this case to the state supreme court in attempts to protect the religious freedom of the Christian couple. Now, an analogy to this situation: Would a photography studio owned by animal rights activist be wrong to refuse to take pictures of a hunting group's taxidermy animals? NO! It goes against their beliefs! Is that intolerant? I don't think so! Michael Hamblin states:

"... what does it mean to be "tolerant" or "intolerant?" In the past, tolerance meant that other people have a right to their opinion, and the right to express themselves, and that even though we may disagree with their opinions, that we can tolerate their view and live in peace, with the understanding that all people are working toward truth. In recent years, however, tolerance has come to mean something radically different, that tolerance should be never saying that someone else is wrong. All value judgments are viewed as intolerant, except of course, the value judgment that says "value judgments are wrong." Rather than tolerating other people's opinions (or perhaps, learning from them), many people have come to believe that "Judge not, lest ye be judged," and hence not making value judgments, is the basis for tolerance.
In an intolerant world, rational dialogue gives way to argument by insult. As Greg Koukl notes, "Most of what passes for tolerance today is not tolerance at all, but rather intellectual cowardice. Those who hide behind the myth of neutrality are often afraid of intelligent engagement. Unwilling to be challenged by alternate points of view, they don't engage contrary opinions or even consider them. It's easier to hurl an insult-'you intolerant bigot'-than to confront the idea and either refute it or be changed by it. 'Tolerance' has become intolerance." When thoughtful principled arguments can be refuted by insults or speculation about hidden motives (a hermeneutic of suspicion), rational discourse breaks down.""

The point being, the Christian couple has religious and moral values and as a privately owned business, they have the right to accept or decline any client they choose. They have the right under the constitution to religious freedom. They have the right to live their life without fear or without being persecuted for their beliefs.

As a Christian, I am tolerant of others beliefs. Even though I might disagree with them on their beliefs, I am called by Christ to treat them with kindness and compassion. I can still love and be friends with them regardless of their values and ways of life. But IF their ideals threaten me or the lives of others, I will not hesitate to fight back!

I have friends that are gay and I don't treat them or love them any less than I do my straight friends! The Bible calls us to treat others lovingly and kindly. Hate speech, animosity, and violence isn't an acceptable way to treat people you are called to love.

A Free Country Under Oppression

"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime & pure, and which denounces against the wicked eternal misery, and which insured to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."
-Charles Carroll (My Ancestor)

As he stated above, a Republic, which is what we have, cannot exist without the morals (such as that of the Christian religion) cannot survive. When our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence 234 years ago, they were forming a Nation Under God. A nation that was built strongly on Christian values and morals.
We had just finished fighting a war to gain our independence from the King of England, and many brave men gave their lives so that we may be free. But today, ladies and gentlemen, that freedom is slowly being taken away! And if we dont do anything about it soon, we will no longer be free!

Our government, for at least the past 60 years, has been destroying the very thing that we fought for! Our government kills good people, lets their citizens die (when they could have helped them), lied to the nation about serious threats, and has taken away our rights.

Freedom of speech is becoming less and less of a freedom. We cannot say anything publicly without having people getting furious at us and calling us un-American. If we say Merry Christmas, people get mad and call it offensive.

"I Miss God in my country! I remember when everybody cared! I remember when everybody would say merry Christmas to everyone! But now people say 'Happy Holidays!' because they dont want to offend people! The overuse of the word Offensive is driving me out of my mind! I mean, what part is more offensive? The Peace on Earth, or Good Will toward Men? Why is it only Christmas that they say 'Happy Holidays' in? There are plenty of other holidays In February, and they say what it is: 'Happy Valentines Day! oops! Do you believe in love? Ill just say Happy Holidays instead!'. People dont say Merry Christmas because it has the word Christ in it, and after 2,000 years he's still intimidating people! When a religious person says 'I am the way', people dont want to hear it! Christianity happens to be the religious heritage of my country whether you like it or not! Christianity happened to be the belief system of 99.9% of the Founding Fathers whether you like it or not! Every Founding Father said that the Bible would be a basis for the laws and the ethics in this country whether you like it or not! Its the World Views that have let this insanity happen" -Brad Stine


I want our country to be as it was intended to be. the way that the founding fathers said it SHOULD be! But our government is far from that! and we should turn it back the way it was! and according to the Declaration, we have the RIGHT to do so!

"That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." -The Declaration of Independence

Many people will say that because I'm saying this, I am going against our country and that I am unpatriotic. Well, my friends, I am a Patriot! I love our country! I just want it to be as it was! all these politicians are the unpatriotic people! They are going against what we were founded on and what we as a country were meant to be!

God Bless the United States of America