To refuse services to a lesbian or gay male, or transgendered person because of religious reasons? If you say yes, then if I have a business should I be allowed to refuse services to religious people?
I think in this 'free' country we live in, yes. I also would not shop at that place (not yours) and I would discourage others from doing so also. People should not be forced by law to make money selling their goods. f'em
Yes and yes. In short, any private business should have the right to refuse who they wish to serve for what ever reason. It probably isn't the best business decision in most situations, but it is their/your business to fuck up.
I just think it's hypocritical because Christians, Muslims, and Jews would be outraged if they were denied service. What about housing? I mean where does the line get drawn?
I think tax breaks for religious institutions is ridiculous. When I see such mega churches going up around me it I know all the donations are going help the poor, starving, sick indigents of the world.
I think those lines were drawn much more heavier in the past. When peoples attitudes change the lines are less clear. But you may be right and I may have to back off a little. It took the civil rights movement and laws to bring equality to the black man. Some people have to be forced forward.
Businesses shouldn't be given any advantage or be penalized for its religious beliefs, political stance or view on any social issues. We are a capitalistic country, the free market should be allowed to do what it does without government interference.
You are describing two totally different things. One is coming from a party nobody has to associate with, and the other is mandated. If a restuarant wants to not serve gays or Christians they should be able to. Nobody is forced to do business with them, and my bet is those assholes would soon be out of business, What you are talking about here is government institutionalized oppression. We are all forced to deal with government, so government refusing services, or tax breaks, or whatever is a travesty. See the difference. A bar that refuses to sell beer to black dudes is piss poor business. A law that requires bars to not sell beer to black people is oppression.
As for myself, most types of businesses that I might own I would serve anybody whether or not I liked their religious beliefs, their politics or their sexual orientation. After all, a buck is a buck. But lets say I owned a bar. A nice little neighborhood bar where guys come in after work and watch sports on the big screen and sometimes bring their wives and/or girlfriends. A nice friendly place where most everybody knows everybody else. Then a bunch of very obvious gay people start coming in every day. They are making my regulars uncomfortable. I don't care what they do anywhere else but they are ruining my business. Even if they are spending money I still want to have my nice neighborhood bar. I don't want to be in the gay bar business even if I make the same amount of money. I would have to put a stop to them coming in. I hope this is still America. People should have a right to act and live according to their religious beliefs as long as they're not infringing on the rights of somebody else. I'm not saying that something like the owner of the only grocery store in a tiny town 50 miles from the next grocery store should refuse to sell the the gay guy. It wouldn't be the Christian thing to do. At least not my brand of Christianity. But it might be somebody elses brand of Christianity.
