Hate by Bible verse is not something I feel is true Christianity. America's Evangelical form of "religious freedom is a hate and fear based freedom in my opinion. It might be arguable what the Bible dictates, but when we stop cherry-picking versus to support our hate and fear for homosexuals, we see and find only LOVE.
Jesus would not cast out ANYONE! No real Christian can tell me they see Jesus shouting down a homosexual.
I was raised as a Protestant and went to Sunday school every Sunday until I was about 10 or so. I learned Jesus was love and forgave EVERYONE their sins NO MATTER WHAT!
I am no longer religious because the institution of religion is tainted by hate. The institutions of religion are used by truly evil people to oppress people. I cannot tolerate the hypocrisy and cynicism of religious institutions, and especially religious leaders in ALL religions.
I am spiritual and believe in honoring and loving all people.
More time than no religious leaders seek power and DOMINION over our lives and our governments when they should simply preach love and peace.
Ever hear the phrase "One Way" from a Christian. The "One Way" statement is the antithesis of Christianity! They are fake Christians. They nudge you. They dismiss you. The hate, as in "Gays are sinners and must be reprogrammed to go to heaven.
America could soon look like the Middle East, with Religious Police walking the streets. America could see Sharia-like police in the Philippines, arresting gays and couples who hold hands in public, criminalizing abortions, and cherry picking bible verses to judge who is good and who is a sinner on a religious inspiration / whim.
Dominionist are all over "religious freedom," and VP Mike Pence is certainly part of that movement.
These Dominionist are also racist in their own subtle ways.
"Racism Lives On Under the Cover of 'Religious Freedom'
A small portion of the population believes people should have the right not to serve black people—and even more believe the same thing about Jews, atheists, gays, and lesbians.
Emma Green Jun 4, 2015
"Jeff Sessions consulted Christian right legal group on religious freedom memo"
By Pete Madden Oct 6, 2017, 7:24 PM ET
"Attorney General Jeff Sessions consulted Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group that champions conservative Christian causes, ahead of issuing controversial guidance to government agencies and departments on Friday about how to interpret federal religious liberty protections.Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a group whose stated mission is to “keep the doors open for the Gospel by advocating for religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family,” hailed Sessions’ announcement, while a number of leading LGBT advocacy groups condemned the move for effectively offering a religious exemption for sexual orientation discrimination."
America is great? Gays are bad people? Christians are not Christian? What is gong on?
"Queer Christians Respond To Jeff Sessions’ New ‘License To Discriminate’"
“Each time we see Christians using power and privilege to target marginalized demographics ... the very foundation of our faith is compromised.”
By Carol Kuruvilla "10/11/2017 01:34 pm ET
"Alarmed by society’s growing acceptance of same-sex relationships and transgender individuals, conservative Christian groups have become leaders in the fight to strip away the rights that LGBTQ Americans gained under the Obama administration. And after years of waiting, they finally have what they wanted: A president and an administration willing to prioritize their religious beliefs.
On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a directive that undercuts protections for queer Americans. The directive instructs federal agencies to accommodate “to the greatest extent” possible the claims of people who say their religious freedoms are being violated ― removing their burden to prove their beliefs are sincerely held, which could make it easier for their beliefs to override the civil rights of queer people."
Here's the rub. Christians should not judge gays!
"“When discriminatory policy and the social climate that ensues become married to ‘Christian belief’ it isn’t just harmful to LGBTQ people, it is also devastating to the mission of church,” Markham told HuffPost. “Both by the deficit gifts and leadership of LGBTQ Christians within faith-based organizations it creates, but more broadly in our overall witness to the world of what it means to follow Jesus as a body of believing people.”"
