Hmmm Religious Freedom Act eh?

Unless you've been living under a rock, don't own a TV, read the newspaper, or have any device that connects you to the goings-on in the world today, I'm sure you've heard about this "Religious Freedom" bill that recently passed in Indiana and all the outrage on both sides.  This may be kind of lengthy, but I just ask you read to the bottom.  You don't have to agree with me, that's fine and I respect that.  But at least hear me out here and consider it if your views happen to be different. " The new law will prohibit a governmental entity from substantially burdening a person’s religious beliefs, unless that entity can prove it’s relying on the least restrictive means possible to further a compelling governmental interest. It’s modeled off of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which gained notoriety in the Supreme Court’s controversial Hobby Lobby ruling last year. " 

Hmmm well that doesn't sound too dangerous right?  I mean it sounds like the law just keeps the government from burdening someone's religious  beliefs and has nothing to do with private person to person "squabbles" right?  Except... who is it that goes after people who discriminate?? Right... the government!!  *scratches head*  So what happens then?  Some business refuses to serve a gay couple because it's against their religion, and the government can't go after them for discrimination because the business doesn't want to serve a gay person because it's against their religious morals?

Here's what I don't get.  Ok so, I can understand from a personal point of view someone who's insanely Christian or whatever not wanting to serve a gay couple because they feel being gay is a sin. If indeed this law is not intended to allow businesses the right to discriminate against others, then where is the law that allows gay business owners the right to refuse service to and discriminate against the Westboro Baptist Church?  What about blacks/Hispanics/Asians/Native persons the right to refuse service to and "discriminate" against serving members of the KKK?  That doesn't sound too bad you say? Perhaps it doesn't if this bill included these same discriminatory/denial of service tactics to all of these groups and similar types of groups... but it's all about religion. However, why should it be ok for anyone to discriminate against anyone else simply because of opposing or different views period? As long as said persons are being respectful and/or not causing a scene, why refuse service or allow to refuse service period?  But here's the thing...

Anyone who knows me will tell you, I don't care if you're black, Asian, Hispanic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Pagan, alien, Pastafarian, whatever... if you're a decent human being that's all I care about.  I don't care who you love, if you're straight, gay, transgendered... if you're a good person, you're a good person, and Lord knows there's assholes of every race, religion, ethnic background, etc.  What bothers me is that in this society, it seems to be acceptable for everyone to think they're so much more important and valuable than anyone else.  That their beliefs and their wants by far supersede the rights and beliefs of anyone and everything else.  How is it that Joe Schmoe's religious beliefs are more important than mine or yours, and it's ok for his rights to trample on mine, but not mine his?? How can a company be allowed to not provide coverage to it's employees on say, birth control pills (which btw, are VERY frequently taken for reasons other than contraception) because of his religious beliefs, but I can't have it covered when it's not against mine?  How does his/her company not believing in birth control affect their ability to go to heaven or not?  My getting birth control has no bearing on that.  Just as being black, or Hindu, or gay has no bearing on Joe Schmoe getting into heaven or not.

I never understood that.  It just seems to me that people saying "I don't want to serve so and so because they're gay and I believe being gay is a sin, and I think it's wrong."  Ok there dear sir/ma'am, allow me to ask you this.  How in the world does someone being gay, impact your ability to get into heaven?  How exactly does this have a direct impact on your life personally?  You providing them a service at your place of business does not mean that you approve nor disapprove of their beliefs or lifestyle, so how does this affect you personally?  Oh right, it doesn't. You have every right to believe what you want, however that does not give you the right to be a discriminatory asshole to someone just because you don't agree with how they live.  You want people to let you live your life? You have to learn to allow others the same freedom.  And as I said above, how someone else lives doesn't affect you, and just because they're different doesn't mean they're bad people, and just because say, you serve a gay couple a meal at your restaurant or book them a room at your hotel, that doesn't mean you're agreeing with their lifestyle or beliefs (if indeed you are concerned that showing agreement would keep you from getting into heaven or whatever.) You know what it does show?  Love and compassion for your fellow human beings, which is, in my own humble opinion anyway, exactly what God/Jesus/Allah/whatever would like for us to do.

We're starting to go back to the times where it was ok to refuse service to blacks, or Japanese Americans due to just their race.  Or discriminating against interracial couples because it was "wrong", and that is not ok with me at all.  One of the best friends I ever had was transgendered and committed suicide April 7th of 2012 because of closed minded, unaccepting jerks that we have in society today.  Here's the thing, no one is asking you to magically approve of say, people being gay or asking you to participate in being gay or whatever. All most of these people are asking of you is to just accept them for who they are and treat them like people.  Treat them as you would want to be treated and allow them the same rights and liberties you enjoy... that's it. sure there's some that go overboard just as you have with anything, but for the most part that's all most of them want.. to be treated as an equal human being with the same rights you have as being heterosexual or whatnot.  They, being allowed to marry does not affect your marriage nor invalidate it at all.  It's between them and whatever deity you or they happen to believe or not believe in.

I fail to understand how it's Christian-like to discriminate or refuse service to anyone whom may share different beliefs than someone else. Does this law allow Muslims the right to refuse service to a Jewish or Christian person or vice versa? Whatever happened to judge not lest ye be judged?

Matthew 7:1-3King James Version (KJV) 7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?   Who are you, to judge my, or anyone else's sins, when you yourself are most certainly or have been most certainly guilty of sinning yourself?  Why are you choosing, and yes I say choosing because it is a choice, for you to not love your neighbors and be good to one another regardless of differences?  The only exceptions to this really is if someone is genuinely being a true twat-waffle about something.  Like, yes, if two gay people come into your restaurant and start doing the horozontal polka (i.e. having sexual relations) on your table, yes that is way over the top and infringing upon your beliefs and you should have the right at that point to refuse them service.  Or if you are black and own a restaurant and a group of people come in wearing KKK regilia, then yes... you should have the right to refuse them service.  As long as someone is respecting your establishment, why do you have to be so hateful? How would you feel if someone refused you service because you're Christian and they're say... Confucionists? (Btw you can exchange any religion, gender, race, etc for any other in any arguments I'm using here, I'm not going to discriminate I'm simply just giving examples here.)

I suppose I am going to leave it at this for now, as this is already long enough as it is.  So I'm going to borrow a quote from George Takei here, because I think it's extremely relevant to what's going on here in our society today: "I myself am a Buddhist, not a Christian. But I cannot help but think that if Christ ran a public establishment, it would be open to all, and He would be the last to refuse service to anyone. It is, simply put, the most un-Christian of notions."