"It is so ordered"

"It is so ordered."....

Thus ends the Supreme Court opinion that began marriage equality in this country on June 26, 2015. Furthermore, from the majority opinion is this:

"Under the Constitution, same-sex couples seek in marriage the same legal treatment as opposite-sex couples, and it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right."

When the decision came down that Friday, I was in the midst of preparing a sermon for that next Sunday morning. I wasn't able to give the decision that much thought; I felt joyous, especially for my friends in same-sex relationships, but I really didn't have the luxury to ponder. I read with great interest what others were thinking and feeling; felt uplifted by some and for others, I only felt dismay--at their ignorance and bigotry (sometimes wrapped in their version of religion). I don't know how many times I shouted at the screen or the radio:  "It's a LEGAL DOCUMENT! It's a piece of paper the government should have been issuing, without hesitation, years ago!!!" It's frustrating to hear the ignorance of some who hold official office, or who wish to hold office, as they try to twist their opinions in a way that they think will satisfy--not enlighten or educate--those who might vote for them in the future. It was America at its worst; using tired, wrong logic:  "I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman!" or outright ignorance: "I do not believe our Founding Fathers envisioned a Court where five justices could decide for all."

But I don't want to dwell on those who, in ten years, will have adjusted quite well to our new freedoms.

Having had some time to ponder, I can only say this:  I now feel normal. Completely normal in my own country, in a society that I am a part of every day. [Well, as normal as a feminist liberal can feel.]

When Karen and I made the decision, and then got married, I felt very, very good. Extremely happy. And yet, a part of me felt it wasn't really "real", because there were other same-sex couples in other states all over the country who were not allowed to marry. It's like when you're a kid, and you are given a Popsicle. It tastes good, it's satisfying, but if you are eating it in front of friends who don't also have Popsicles, it's just not that tasty. You feel a little odd, eating it in front of them. You might even notice it tastes weird, and tell your friends, "It's not that good." But when everyone has one? It's fun. It's a party. 

That's how it is now, with marriage equality. It feels right, because every couple in every state is allowed to do it. It's fun, and it's time to celebrate that freedom for all couples.

Tomorrow, it's time to get to work...again...because here, as in a majority of states, "Married on Saturday, fired for being gay on Monday." is a reality.

And racial equality? Time to get to work on that. And on poverty issues.

But for a day, take time to celebrate the good things our country has done. Have you noticed that watching fireworks is such a great equalizer? Everyone, in the dark, looking upwards--seeing the same things at the same moment. Gasping, at the same time, at the beauty. At this moment, we are not a skin color, we are not a gender, we are not an income level. We are all together, celebrating.

Now, let's get to work.

Words, Words, Words--the Positive

On Thursday, Gov. Pence of Indiana signed SB 101: the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" into law. This law goes into effect in July. According to those who support the law, the RFRA does not differ from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Those people would be wrong.
If you read the Indiana law, it is glaringly apparent that it's not just a human person that can claim religious protection, but businesses as people can claim the same thing. Thank you, Citizens United.
There is now power, not previously given, to businesses, to discriminate on the basis of "religious beliefs". There is now more opportunity to twist and reinterpret the words in the Bible to fit one's own beliefs, no matter how discriminatory they might be. The words of Jesus will be misused, sadly, and his most important--from the Sermon on the Mount--will be conveniently forgotten.
By some.
But not by all.

Yes, there are some positives that will come from the implementation of the RFRA. Some positives already have come from it.
There has been a large, loud outcry against the law. Citizens of Indiana, celebrities, business owners--all have voiced their opinions, and have stated their belief in equality for all. If you're feeling depressed about the passage of RFRA, I suggest you spend some time on social media--the positive, uplifting comments will make you feel better. As you read the outrage, you will find you are not alone.
I firmly believe in keeping an open mind. I firmly believe in listening to both sides of an issue. And, I firmly believe I must treat others as I want to be treated. So, I have listened to the thoughts of people on both sides of this issue. I had a long conversation with a friend I completely disagree with--on this issue, and others. A conversation; not a shouting match, not a one-sided speech (it's so easy to follow the media lead, but will get us nowhere in the long run). We were able to have this honest, frank conversation because we trusted each other, and we knew the other would listen with openness. It was eye-opening for me, and I can only hope I was able to provide a good perspective from my side. I really hope he understands the impact of RFRA on my family and friends. And, I really hope he shares my perspective with others. I hope.
The passage of RFRA has prompted many discussions between parents and children; this will definitely be a teaching moment, and I do hope parents use this power for good. I fear they won't, but I hope they do.
Passage of RFRA has prompted discussions between co-workers, and acquaintances. People are sharing information on social media about businesses who will serve everyone. There are signs of support in shop windows. People will be spending more money at these businesses, I hope. People are taking the time to clarify their positions, and declare what is "not OK" with them. It might be my imagination, but in the past couple of days at my place of employment, people seem to be treating each other with a little more kindness. Maybe people are now hyper-aware of their actions and words? I hope.
I also hope that there are some, who initially thought the RFRA was a good idea, will take some time to reflect on what the real impact will be. If you only heard, over and over, "This will give us the freedom to live our religious beliefs", I hope you stop and consider. If you are a woman who uses birth control, I hope you realize this may impact your relationship with your employer. If you have family and friends who are LGBT, you might be discriminated against through your association with them. You have always had the freedom of religion; what's going to happen now is that some will not have the freedom to live their lives as they want to. I hope everyone will stop and think this through.
And the last positive that has come from the passage of the RFRA? It will motivate people to VOTE. For if you are outraged by this, angry at how this will impact your family and friends, I hope you remember this in 2016, and VOTE! Voting is the best way to tell your government how you feel, and how you want others to be treated. If you VOTE, you elect YOUR representatives.
The positives may not outweigh the negatives, but if people are talking to one another, if people are consciously treating one another as they want to be treated, and if people are VOTING, then maybe...just maybe...this world will become a little better than it is today.
I have hope.

Words, Words, Words--The Negative

On Thursday, Gov. Pence of Indiana signed SB 101: the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" into law. This law goes into effect in July. According to those who support the law, the RFRA does not differ from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Those people would be wrong.
If you read the Indiana law, it is glaringly apparent that it's not just a human person that can claim religious protection, but businesses as people can claim the same thing. Thank you, Citizens United.
We have already seen, at the national level, what happens when a "person" called Hobby Lobby, decides they "need" to weigh in on their female employee's health choices--i.e., need to tell those women what birth control they can and cannot use (because Dr. Hobby Lobby knows far more than your personal physician). You only need to look at the photo above to know who's going to be using that argument against women here in the state of Indiana.
I wrote the following as a Letter to the Editor--there is just so much to fear from this law:

"Your new freedom still brings questions for rest of us
Now that Senate Bill 101 has passed and religious "freedom" has been "restored," I have a few questions.
One: Where do I get my ID card? Or will I be issued an identifying patch? Should my friends and family — my supporters — get one, too? How far will this religious judgment extend? And, should a woman go to her doctor first, to verify her fertility status and choice of contraception, or will you actually take her word for it?
And what happens next? When you are only serving those customers you approve of, will that mean you have "won"? Judging by the comments attached to recent articles, you haven't won many converts by your new-found "freedom."
Will the state of Indiana, with your added layers of discrimination, be a better place? Will you have improved the lot of humankind by your actions, by your judgment? When the divisions in this state are insurmountable, when we are no longer providing good examples for our children because we have taught them to judge first, before getting to know the person, I will remember to ask you again if you've "won."
Jesus spoke of an important rule during his Sermon on the Mount. It's called the Golden Rule. I guess it doesn't have the same pizzazz as the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act." But it's a rule we all could live with. In peace. No signage or badges needed."


Women might not be denied service here in Indiana, thanks to this new law, but they WILL be denied the basic right to protect their own health as employees of business "people" who most certainly will raise religious objections to methods of birth control. There most certainly will be women who have high-risk pregnancies because their employer has demanded they use something other than the most effective birth control suggested by their doctor.
The other group that will feel the impact of the RFRA will be the LGBT community. For while it's not cool to discriminate on the basis of skin color these days, it's definitely OK to deny service to someone who looks like someone who might possibly love a person of the same sex. It's definitely OK to throw someone out of your place of business because they "don't look right" i.e., they look like they might be trying to be a gender that you don't think they actually are. Keep in mind, these judgmental "calls" happen on the basis of visual "cues", not because the person is actually known to the business, but because of how they are perceived.
This--THIS--is the real gist of my objection to RFRA--that it is completely judgmental, and will hasten our demise as a civilized society. Do you think I'm being a little "over the top"?! How about you travel with me to Northern Ireland, and as we puzzle over who is Catholic and who is Protestant, and why they hate each other so, any citizen there will tell you, "Of course I know who's who. I can tell by the way they look." I've said it before, and I will say it again--the rapists, murderers, and child molesters--people who REALLY deserve to be shunned--will get a pass, because they are those fine, upstanding-looking white men. LOOKING.
Finally, there will come the day when a conservative "Christian" will deny service to a Muslim person, or a Jewish family. We all know that will happen; because those in power will tell you how discriminated against they are, when they've actually never once been discriminated against, and will feel the need to demonstrate this power by throwing out a person of another faith. The rest of us? We will continue to welcome everyone, because at one time or another, we've felt the sting of judgement. Or, we will continue to serve everyone because we really know what Jesus was doing and saying when he walked this earth.
Not all Christians are bad, not all LGBT people are going to Hell (at least not for the reason you think), not all Muslims are terrorists, women aren't less-than equal, and......I could go on. The reason this RFRA is bad for the real people of Indiana is that it will make it harder for us to really relate to one another; it will be harder for us to see another real human as a real being. Instead, first looks will determine who gets served, and those of us who know what that's like will avoid certain places, will feel like we have to bow our heads in shame when there is absolutely nothing we need to be shamed of. And, you can only imagine the anger and hatred that will bubble up from some of us because of the RFRA. Not love. Anger. Not caring. Hatred.
Worst of all, our children will learn this behavior; will know that to be different is bad, and will hightail it out of this state as quickly as possible. Which will be sad, because we need those people, whatever their differences are. We NEED diversity.
The RFRA will have a real negative impact on the state of Indiana; human relations will suffer. We are now seeing the fiscal impact of this law, as companies and other entities begin to withdraw their money, employees, and business from the state. While I am glad to know they are coming out against a discriminatory law, I worry about this loss of revenue. I work in a place that depends on tax dollars--how will this impact my job? How will the RFRA impact funding for education, for cities and towns? I can only hope our legislators realize the huge mistake they've made, and rectify it quickly, before Indiana falls further down the state-by-state list of quality of life.
There are so many negatives about the passage of this law. Are there any positives? Keep reading.

If, After Reading These Words of Jesus...Why, On Earth, Would you Discriminate? (Part 3)

How can we work to make this world a better place for everyone if we can't even agree to follow the Golden Rule? To treat others the way we want to be treated? How can we ever find  peace in this world if we can't even agree to follow the simplest precepts of those teachers we choose to worship? Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus, God, Goddess--any preaching about the words of any of these great teachers has to start with the word "love". To teach anything else, purporting to be the words of them, is reckless and will lead ultimately to the destruction of this world--not by their "hands", but by ours. Human hands. 

The one thing you can be sure they taught, the one thing they all could agree on? The Golden Rule. It's a universal rule. Look it up.

As I wrote Part 2 of this post, I kept thinking about words that Jesus spoke during his Sermon on the Mount--these were arguably the most important words he spoke; he wanted to give guidance to his listeners, and it was a huge crowd, so you have to know he chose his words carefully.

And again, not one word about homosexuality. You would think, if that was important to him, he

would have mentioned it first, last, and in the middle. But no. 

 Jesus had a different message (I have chosen to embolden some words)...

 The Sermon on the Mount

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Love Your Enemies

43 "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Judging Others

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The Golden Rule

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
  
 Amen.
Our lives are short, and the list of ways to make this world a better place is long. We have far more important things to do than discriminate. 
Far more important things to do. 
Start by spreading love. 

Discrimination is Easier Than YOU Think...Why, On Earth, Would you Discriminate Part 2

I've had a whirlwind of thoughts for the past couple of weeks. I have taken some time to write, re-write, and clarify, so that you--the reader--can understand. I hope you take some time to read, and then think, about what I'm trying to say here. Please.
"Here's the church, here's the steeple. Open the door, and see all the people."
I love to read stories about lives that are different from mine. Different cultures, different situations, different periods in history. When I read these stories, I often have an "ah ha!" moment; a moment when I have a new perspective on life. I like to learn about different religions and different spiritual practices; I choose to go to my church because we draw on many religious traditions, and I've learned so much. What I've mostly learned is that there is not ONE answer to life's questions, but many answers. To think that you have all the answers, or that your religion has the only answers is misguided indeed.
I've learned that your spiritual beliefs will have a major impact on how you occupy this world, and how you treat others.
As I've gotten older, I've come to realize our time on Earth is very limited, and we can choose to leave this Earth better than when we arrived, or we can make things worse--a whole lot worse, if we choose to.

"Here's the church, here's the steeple. Open the door, and see all the people."

Because I truly want to listen, to learn the perspective of others, I recently went to church--not my church, but another church. A church so vastly different from my own that my heart was pounding (sort of a "fight or flight" mentality automatically kicked in--some of you might not understand this, but going in as a minority of any kind puts one on edge) through most of the first part of the service. I admit I went with some prejudices of my own, but by going, I was able to "call myself" on some of them. No, not every license plate was an "In God We Trust" plate. No, not every woman had to wear a dress to the service; as a matter of fact, I would have fit right in in my usual jeans that I wear to my own church services. What did surprise me--more than I expected--was how HUGE the place was! Enormous!! They have 3 services, and the place was packed at 11. According to the Order of Service, on a Sunday when the weather was snowy and driving treacherous. they still managed to have attendance of 1,000. THAT'S amazing.
I listened to the minister. I know him, have read some things he has written. I've had conversations with him, but had never heard him address his congregation. I was intrigued by the topic of his sermon: "Did Jesus Ever Discriminate?" I wanted to know what he thought, so I sat, listened, and took notes. 
The short answer to the question was:  "Yes. Jesus did discriminate." He went on to speak about Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Bill, and how important it was that this Bill be passed. And, he spoke about being true to your religious convictions.
I left feeling not uplifted, but sad. Sad for the world.
Jesus taught a message of love. "Love one another." That message was not delivered at the church on the Sunday I visited. Instead, the message was, "Yes, Jesus DID discriminate."
And that's why we need to have the Religious Freedom Restoration Bill. So you, as the owner of any business in any town in Indiana, can discriminate against those you think you can't abide.
AND LET ME BE CLEAR:  WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT HOMOSEXUALS AND WOMEN.
Because to discriminate against the darker skinned? That's just not done anymore.
To discriminate against the Jew, the Muslim, the Buddhist? We don't do that as much either.

Here's the thing, You are free to open a business, provide a service, sell a product. You open your doors and welcome customers. According to some, who believe we should have a Religious Freedom Restoration Bill embedded into state law, you are also free to follow your "moral compass" and discriminate against women, if they want to control their own reproductive health; and anyone under the LGBT "umbrella" because they are perverse.
Here's the problem. Although some differences are plain to the naked eye, and therefore easy to detect and discriminate against, the ones that are actually more foul and heinous are buried under the skin--they reside in the soul.
We don't all wear shirts with our "attributes" listed for all to see:
"Hello, my name is ___________________. I have never murdered anyone, I am not a child molester, and I have never beaten anyone. I do use birth control, I am for gun safety, and I have vaccinated my children. I release spiders outside and I recycle."
Can you imagine the length of that shirt that we would have to wear??

Because we don't all wear that attribute shirt, we have to rely on the visual. For most of us, we take one look at someone, and judge them. One look.
If the person looks just like me and acts just like me, I assume they believe the exact same things I do.
If their skin is a different shade, I hesitate. I'm not sure.
If they are with someone of the same sex, I need more information before judging.
If they open their mouths to speak, and they have an accent or if I cannot understand them, I am uncomfortable.
If they appear to be more poorly dressed or smell in a certain way, I judge them.
But if they are like me, I gladly will serve them.
I gladly serve them, because I have judged them, and I've decided they must believe the same things I do.
I do not know, nor do I care, what they are really like, because they look just like me.
They could have murdered their parents, but they look like me. I will sell them a CD.
They could have raped 3 women in the past year, but they have a nice haircut, so I will welcome them into my restaurant.
They could have molested 100 kids, and sold child pornography for years, but because they appear with their fiance and ask me to bake their wedding cake, and they are a heterosexual couple, I will happily do it, just let me get them a sample of the cake......

Discriminate against the very people Jesus DID call out? The adulterers and the fornicators? Well, it's just not that easy to figure those people out...But two people, of the same sex, buying groceries together? Well, now THAT we can see, and THAT we can feel righteous about. THOSE people need to go (even though Jesus said nothing about the lesbians, or the gays). Those are the people I don't want to serve, because I am following the "teachings of my religion." Here's another crazy thing. If I walk into any place of business, I will be served, because I'm just a funny-looking older woman. I would have to walk in with my WIFE in order for you to feel you need to discriminate against me. You will look love in the face and you will throw us out, but will gladly serve the guy over there, even though I know he's been married three times, and has recently impregnated a college cheerleader. But he LOOKS like a fine citizen.
To truly discriminate, to follow your religiously-ordained set of prejudices, you actually have to get to know someone a little bit. You have to form a relationship with them. And then? You have to turn your back on them--you have to condemn them for who they are.
Think about how that feels to that person.
If you're not a sociopath, it hurts.
It hurts a lot.
And why do you do it? Discriminate against....? Do you think the person you're ushering out of your place of business with suddenly fall to their knees and thank you for showing them the error of their ways??? Really? You think they will suddenly agree with everything you believe as you refuse them service in your restaurant? Because that's not going to happen. What IS going to happen is that person will harden their heart against you, and against everything you purport to believe. They are going to feel hatred maybe...certainly will feel anger as you have basically called them a bad person, and have shunned them. Perhaps they will internalize their anger, but far more likely, they will communicate their feelings to friends and family, who will in turn feel anger toward you and your beliefs.
This! This is how wars get started.
Because in the world where we allow discrimination to legally take place, most rapists, murderers, and child molesters will be welcomed with open arms. Because they look like us.
We will gladly serve the fornicators and the adulterers. Because they are us, and are easier to understand.
But the gays? We MUST shun them.
Because the Bible says so.
Even though Jesus said...not...one...word...about homosexuality.
But he said a whole lot of words about love.
"Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the doors.....but don't see ALL the people."

 

Why, On Earth, Would You Discriminate? Part One

A couple of weeks ago, this Guest Column was posted in our local paper (referencing The Religious Freedom Restoration Bill now before the Indiana Senate.

The bill reads:  "Religious freedom restoration. Prohibits a governmental entity from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, unless the governmental entity can demonstrate that the burden: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering the compelling governmental interest. Provides a procedure for remedying a violation. Specifies that the religious freedom law applies to the implementation or application of a law regardless of whether the state or any other governmental entity or official is a party to a proceeding implementing or applying the law. "

Here's the Guest Column from Pastor Steve Viars:

 "OK, let me get this straight. Freedom Indiana has just announced their opposition to ... wait for it ... the religious freedom bill. That's like the American Cattleman's Association opposing cows. I'm not sure these dear folks thought this one all the way through.

This is similar to our local so-called Citizens for Civil Rights whose behavior over the years demonstrates that they are really only concerned for the rights of themselves and their left-leaning friends. It seems to me that these groups ought to be more transparent in the names they choose for their organizations. How about "Freedom Just for Those in Indiana Who Agree with Us and Everyone Else Can Take a Hike" or "Citizens Concerned Only for the Civil Rights of the Cultural Liberals"?

Why is it that progressives seem hell-bent on imposing their brand of morality or — in many cases — immorality, on everyone else by force of governmental law? Are they that insecure about the quality of their ideals? Doesn't civility require — even demand — an approach to community life that seeks to balance the legitimate needs, desires, and rights of a variety of world and life views?

Good men and women of faith ought to be able to practice their religious beliefs in all spheres of life without incessant harassment from those who want to live differently. For example, a Jewish family should be able to start a video production business and choose not to make movies for the wicked pornographer down the street. An Amish man should be able to purchase a catering company and prefer not to provide food for the area swingers convention. A Muslim woman should be able to buy a wedding hall and decide to only make it available for activities she believes are consistent with her beliefs about marriage. It's not like the progressives have no other places to make their movies, buy their food or hold their celebration

Whether it is advisable for such persons of faith to practice their religion in these ways is beside the point. Truthfully, if I was a Christian baker, I'd make my gay neighbor the best wedding cake I possibly could out of a desire to demonstrate the love and grace of Christ. But there is a significant difference between living that way by personal choice versus living that way by governmental coercion. The question here is how much value we place on the religious freedom of everyone in our state, even when we find such religious expression questionable or even objectionable.

Of course some will run to the tired accusation that this legislation promotes discrimination. The challenge is — that door swings both ways. You can either discriminate against the pornographer or discriminate against the religious person who prefers not to use his privately purchased equipment for such evil purposes. How hard is that decision?

We saw this logical inconsistency several years ago during the public hearings regarding Faith West. A spokesperson for the West Lafayette Human Relations Commission appeared at the final community meeting to express their views on our development and their expectations for our behavior.

This outrageous action was completely inconsistent with the group's legal purpose and to my knowledge, is something the Human Relations Commission has never done before or since. That is the essence of discrimination — treating someone differently or illegally based on an inherent or perceived difference, in our case — our religious beliefs.

The irony was too delicious for words — a spokesperson for the Human Relations Commission discriminating against a church because of the unfounded concern that the church might discriminate against someone else. I seriously considered reporting the Human Relations Commission, to itself.

What is needed in this conversation is balance — which as one wag observed — is that elusive point we all pass on the way to our next extreme. I would encourage my friends at Freedom Indiana to reconsider their opposition to the religious freedom bill. If not, then could you at least change your name?

AND......Here's MY response:

As I read the recently-named “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (SB 101), all I could think was, “Wow! What a great state I live in! Evidently, poverty no longer exists, everyone who wants a job has one, and all of our students must be above average! Because, if any of these were still a problem, our legislators would be working around the clock to solve them, instead of spending even one minute on a poorly-worded, divisive bill such as this one!” Sadly, I was mistaken. Our public schools still struggle to be funded, students still come to school hungry and ill-clothed, we still have unemployment. But, the politicians in the Statehouse have decided it’s far more important to waste time and taxpayer money to pass a bill that will only lead to more incivility and acrimony among its’ citizenry. Don’t believe me? One only has to read Pastor Viars’ Guest Column to begin to understand how the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” will divide.

The business owners I know serve every person who comes through their doors (except the ones without shirts and shoes). In this shaky business climate, one cannot be selective or discriminatory if one wants to be profitable. Most business owners know if word gets out that they refused service to this person or that one, word will get out to friends and relatives of said person, and people will stop frequenting their establishment and worst of all, they will take their business elsewhere. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Pagan business owners who want to be successful do not question the customer coming through the door, for that can be a slippery slope:  “Just one last question before I serve you your ice cream sundae—do you use Viagra? Because use of that drug is not covered in my Holy Book, so therefore I cannot in good conscience serve you.” I agree—that one was silly. As is this one:  “Your child is [insert medical condition here]? I’m sorry, if you were a better [insert religious sect here], your child would already be cured, and we could allow them to come to school here at Perfect In Every Way Private Academy.” But it’s far more likely, under SB 101, the latter would actually happen--legally. 

As Pastor Viars points out, “There is a significant difference between living that way by personal choice versus living that way by government coercion.” It’s a slippery slope indeed, as we are all fallible human beings; rather than unite, this law will divide us. Can you imagine owning a business, and having a deacon from your church say to you, “Why did you serve that customer? You know he’s Catholic. The law says it’s ok for you, legally, to refuse service. Why didn’t you do it? Aren’t you a good Lutheran?” Or, someone using the words of any religious teacher, incorrectly, to avoid treating another human being at their family-owned pharmacy? I would like to know who is going to be the final arbitrator when Sam Smith says, “I didn’t give him pills because Jesus said people wearing purple could not enter Heaven.” Of course, we all know Jesus didn’t say that, but then again, Jesus did not say one word about homosexuality, and look how that fact has been ignored and misused. It would be a worst-case scenario, but we could easily become a state with “no go zones” for Christians or Jews or Muslims or German Baptists. Our economy would suffer too; what company would want to locate to a state with sectarian areas? Or, more to the point, what company will want to relocate to a state with a poorly written law in effect, which may or may not impact who they can or cannot hire? 

SB 101, while purporting to protect ones’ freedom of religion, is just a “feel good” law; it will make some feel good, and will alienate others. Not all religious people are in favor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; in fact, I've seen very little religious diversity among those pushing for passage. Perhaps that’s because we see there are far greater problems that need to be solved in our state. Perhaps that’s because most people of faith stand on the side of love, and believe and practice the Golden Rule, “Treat others the way you wish to be treated,” and believe that, until all are treated fairly in our state, we all will suffer. Perhaps all of us should push for codifying the Golden Rule in the State of Indiana, but that would mean we were progressive—“favoring social reform”— and some have used this word as a pejorative. 

Words can be used to unite, and words can be used to divide. The words contained in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will most certainly be used to divide us. To some, much has been given. The question is:  How will you use this power? For the betterment of all, or for the select few? As many religious books will advise—whatever you do, do it in love.

"Under This Beautiful Dome"

Under This Beautiful Dome: A Senator, A Journalist, and the Politics of Gay Love in America by Terry Mutchler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Such a well-written, compelling book about the life Terry Mutchler shared with Penny Severns. The 1990s were not that long ago, and yet seem to be, for some of us. There are far too many still living the life that Terry and Penny HAD to live, and my heart aches for those couples. I cried multiple times as I read this book, and this passage is just one of those times:
"Nearly two decades later, I still do not have any of my things, not even the limited list that I asked for...I still ache for certain pieces of our life together, whether it's a jacket she wore, a book she read, or a piece of art we bought. I now know I possess the most cherished aspect of my life with Penny: our memories and our love. The things I lost are just things in a material sense, but somehow, things mean a great deal in death. Even the smallest item that belonged to a loved one becomes a token of the life shared, and the essence and elements of healing. You touch these items, you cry a little, you laugh a little, and you put them back down--they're conduits between this dimension and the memory of those we loved and lost."




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