The legislation, which first surfaced on March 16 and passed both Republican-controlled chambers in hours, would allow faith-based organizations to deny services to those who violate their “sincerely held religious belief” and preserve their right to fire employees who aren’t in accord with those beliefs.
The screen cap above is from the Facebook post of a longtime WWJD reader. His post had to do with Georgia’s proposed “religious liberty” law, which would have legalized all manner of discrimination, as long as it’s couched in terms of one’s “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The law was a reprehensible attempt by authoritarian Republicans in the Georgia legislature to enshrine their narrow moral framework as state law.
I know; EXACTLY what Jesus would do, amiright??
Gov. Nathan Deal- an authoritarian Republican and good, God-fearing Christian himself- has decided to veto the bill, though whether out of any disagreement with the bill is a matter of conjecture. Prior to the veto, the promise of a widespread economic boycott was the prospect facing Gov. Deal if he signed the bill into law. AMC, for instance, had promised to move production of The Walking Dead out of Georgia if the bill became law. Deal no doubt recognized the Peach State couldn’t withstand the economic impact of such a boycott and decided this wasn’t a battle Georgia’s fine, upstanding Christians could win. Deal’s words when he announced his planned veto spoke to a Georgia bathed in love, tolerance, and acceptance…qualities that seem not to have been bestowed upon the state’s legislature.
The interesting thing was the reaction of those who seem to feel called by Jesus to remind those not like them that they’re second class citizens and unworthy of the rights and benefits that accrue to good, God-fearing, Conservative, heterosexual White folks. For some reason, many of these folks define not having the absolute right to provide their narrow religious/moral agenda with the force of law as “tyranny” directed at Christians.
The persecution. The horror. Oh, the humanity….
In many such cases, I’m willing to ignore such arrogance and ignorance. In most cases, people who think in such terms are unwilling and/or unable to consider that the rights and beliefs of others are every bit as valid as their own. This one, however, seemed to demand a response…which I was happy to provide:
Cry me a river, Roger. Not being able to give your narrow “religious” beliefs the force of law is hardly “forcing your bullshit on the Christians.” There’s nothing “religious” about this bill, nor does it promote “liberty.” It’s about authoritarians using Christianity as cover for instituting their own form of tyranny. “Discriminate” against Christians? Nice persecution complex there, eh?
It fascinates me that so many who profess to revere the teachings of Jesus Christ invoke his name when demanding their “right” to discriminate against those whose sexual orientation and/or lifestyle they find abhorrent. The Gospel doesn’t exist to confirm narrow hatefulness and homophobia. If anything, Georgia’s “religious liberty” bill runs counter to the very things Jesus preached about- love, tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion, f’rinstance.
I also find it interesting that in so many cases, the argument is made in such a way that it’s clear Jesus’ teachings are interpreted in such a way that they almost perfectly match the prejudices of the person making their case. Amazing how that works, eh?
Sorry, but not having the absolute right to force your beliefs and prejudices upon everyone is not the textbook definition of “tyranny,” nor is it a clear-cut of trampling on “religious freedom.” A person’s religious/moral/philosophical/religious beliefs are no more or less important than those of anyone else. They certainly don’t come with the right to bathe your hatred and prejudice in the righteous white light of bigotry and exclusion. Calling oneself a “Christian” doesn’t ipso facto connote the absolute right to force your beliefs and moral framework onto those who may not (and most don’t) share them.
If you believe yourself to be persecuted because you’re not allowed to hold yourself and your beliefs above those of other people, you have bigger problems than you know…and it has nothing to do with “tyranny” or being “persecuted.”
