If homosexuals shouldn't be given civil rights because it's a choice.....?

Question

Why then should there be civil rights protections on the basis of religion?

Religion is pure choice. There are no dictates or mandates that anyone belong to any particular faith. People change churches and religious affiliation all the time. Certainly, a choice where people are allowed to be so fickle and arbitrary ought be no more deserving of protection under the law than something which is much more fixed in a personality as sexual orientation.

Religious choices should not deserve more preferential treatment under the law than sexual orientation or gender identity. If you can show why they should, could you do so please?

I love the comment of the Mare..... How clever and original.... two men can't make a baby! How insightful!

Oh yeah.... I almost forgot ... so what about a sterile man with a sterile woman? That's not really the point of the question though, but thanks for bringing it up.

Sassy....

Homosexuals are NOT covered under existing civil rights laws. Not even close. One couple, traveling East from California, as one was dying, faced problems in a hospital. The partner of the dying man was not permitted to see him as they were not related. They were denied their final farewell.

People being beaten because of religious CHOICE are protected under hate crime laws. Not so with homosexuals.

A homosexual spouse can lose the home he or she lives in upon the death of their partner unless they go through much more complicated legal proceedings than do a heterosexual couple.

Please don't tell me about civil rights. I've lived this life for nearly 50 years, and can guarantee I knwo much more about it than what you hear preached in a church.

BTW... I tried the churches to "fix" myself prior to coming to my senses.

Answer 1

I agree with you totally, so is political affiliation as well for that matter, I always use this argument against Christians and Republicans when they bring up the lifestyle choice nonsense.

Oh and by the way heavens (so called) messenger (the person who posted above me), murder and theft are universally acknowledged as crimes, you're basing your interpretation of homosexuality being a sin on your lifestyle choice of being a Christian, a lifestyle that I don't particularly agree with. Do I have the right to discriminate against you for your choice?

And to Sassy, no, in most of the states in my country, the United States, Homosexuals are not protected under existing Civil Rights laws we can be and are often denied employment and housing just to name a few things on the basis of our sexual orientation, and no one here is advocating discrimination against religious people only using it as an example of how ridiculous discrimination against homosexuals is.

Answer 2

Really all you have to do is ask a gay person if they chose to be gay and they will tell you that they did not. I did not choose to be gay but I did choose to be open about which was a very happy time in my life for myself. It was a little hard with the reception of others but it passed. Anyway that's the only decision involved and it should not have been as difficult as it was. Now the question is open as to whether or not I was gay at birth due to genetics or if I had a predisposition to it or if I just developed that way. Either way it does not matter because that's who I am and there's nothing I can or want to do about it. Even since I moved to a more liberal city such as Chicago I still feel this unwanted urge to hide it or not hold the hand of another man in public which is why I appreciate protection laws. And even hate crime laws for the reason that no one should have to live in fear. I feel like they're will always be discrimination in some way. People just find new targets once other ones aren't accepted.

Answer 3

Because homosexuals are disgusting! I don't have a religion, but I believe in Almighty God. I'm only 22, but when I have kids, I don't want them to see two sick bastards kissing. It's just sick, and no, I'm not homophobic. I'll punch a homo like I'll punch a real man. I don't know why these sick aliens have any rights at all. Open the gates of hell and throw them in there.

Answer 4

Brilliant point.

I'm from Holland, a country that has the same rights for homosexuals and heterosexuals. To me that's just a normal fact of life. I can't bring myself to understand why such things are still not legalized in huge parts of this planet.

We also (as a little answer to Sassy above me) have freedom of speech. Except it's forbidden to abuse that freedom of speech. Inciting hatred or public discrimination is against the law. A church or mosque that condemns homosexuals is discriminating against the law. I wouldn't call Holland a communist state...

I fully agree with Eldad9, even if homosexuality were a choice -- so what?

Answer 5

Homosexuals are already covered by existing Civil Rights laws, even though J. Edgar Hoover was one and fought tooth and nail against any Civil Rights legislation!

Churches are Protected to freely express their thoughts and ideas just like everybody else. The problem is when people who do not hold their beliefs want to stop them from teaching it or preaching it. What would be next? Your right not to say what you just said? People can execise religion or not to that Is what The United States Constitution gives in the bill of rights and the Constitution. In some countries around the world if you are not religious you can be put to death. Nobody is trying to force their religion down anyone's throat. In fact it is those same religious values that Have given you your freedoms!

According to Exodus International Religious Free speech is being portrayed as Hate Speech and there is a Bill in
Congress that will silence not just the Christian Churches, but Wiccans, Satanists, Mormons and all the rest. Nobody will have the right to say or what they think or feel about their respective religions or what they teach.

Last time I checked that is called Communism. and they have tried to oust religion in every dictatorship to "cleanse" and purge itself of free thinkers, to have a more perfect society. Russia fell, the Ukraine and Cuba are in ruins and they started with taking the weapons and then taking any display of religion. Their economies have not recuperated, the people impoverished because of repressive governments.

Answer 6

I like the debate but the excuse of "it's a matter of choice" isn't really the reason gays aren't protected. It's the excuse given today, sure, but the reason they weren't protected is because in the good old days they just sort of melted into the background. Saying "they chose to be gay and they can choose to be un-gay if they want the same rights as others" is like saying "the US invaded Iraq to give them democracy", just one excuse in a seemingly endless stream.

Answer 7

You, my dear, must be giving many a conservative religious person a shock. You gave me something to think about and an argument I am going to make sure I memorize. Kudos.

Thank you ever so much for having such great wit, talent, and grammatical skills to write this down. I can't delve deeply enough into my formidable vocabulary to give you adequate flattery.

Answer 8

Can two men make a baby or 2 women make a baby. NO! But a men and a woman can make babys or adobit and they can have a normal childhood were they have the balnce of a man AND a woman it's the natural human instenct.It's proven better for the child. For more info contact "courage".

Answer 9

I agree, there should be no laws against discrimination on the basis of religion, because nobody has to know what your religion is or if you even have one, and because people change their religions all the time!

Answer 10

If homosexuality is a choice, so is heterosexuality. If one shouldn't be given civil rights, the same applies to the other.

Or to put it differently - even if it's a choice (Which it's not) - so what?