that they're lagging behind Utah in recognizing the legal basis for marriage equality.

... to the current situation in Utah: Utah and Oregon (Posted on January 8, 2014)

but people who want resort weddings surrounded by beautiful scenery can come here to NM. Marriage equality, which began on a city by city basis in August, is statewide after it was all met with a yawn. I'm really proud of the more conservative people here who realized this wasn't worth fighting, that equality will contribute more to social stability than keeping it unfree and unequal would. We went statewide a day before the Utah ruling came down. I know there are a few sore losers in the lege, but I don't think they'll get too far.

NM is an intensely weird state, which is why they tolerate me.

This "persecution" whine never stops with RW Xtians, does it?

Okay, so they want to protect the first amendment right to religious freedom. I can get behind that.

Since it seems to be primarily Christians that are behind this movement, i can support cake makers, and others to be able to restrict business based on their religious beliefs.. but as a Christian it must also be demanded that they don't choose and pick which parts of their religion that they enforce, otherwise they should be completely open to legal prosecution as it is then Bigotry. So, any business that wishes to operate their business based on Christian doctrine should also be required to:

May not provide services to any customer who has been previously married, as it says in Corinthians 7:27 "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife", So, they may only provide services to those who are being married for the first time.. period. This is especially true of any customer who is a divorced female, because as it says in Matthew 5:32 "Whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

May not provide services to any customer that plans on wearing make-up, jewelry, or have their hair done for their wedding (or when they come in to solicit services. As it says in Peter 3:3 "You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear."

As a few examples above, if piety is the true reason for denial of service, then these same vender's will not have issue with keeping to their faith and apply it equally in all areas of sin. Anything less is bigotry, and worthy of no religion based protection status.

Start to post on DU.

I have watched and read some of DU for a couple of years. I never bothered to join because I had nothing more to say than what I could read.

But this "religion" as justification for bigotry, justification for being inhumane to other folks on this planet, where would this end?


I also "lurk" on a couple of other threads and watch others.

May I, as a "freshman" poster here make one request? (Ignore it if you think it's a stupid idea or that I have not really earned a right so early to make a suggestion.)

PLEASE Post this on the religion thread. They seem to think over there that it's perfectly alright to hold religious beliefs and do no harm to Americans.

I will just add; I grew up in a Bible believer family where the Bible was the word of "God"....I learned at about 15-16 that being gay meant I wasn't part of that world. Being gay has a lot to teach America and the world, all about prejudice and bigotry, and the re-inforcement that Christianity, (and, yes some Judaic and Islamist sects) give to bigots.

Where are the religions that stand up to this nonsense and strike it down? I fail to see any bothering to stand up.

I'm so sickened by the thought that people can actually parade around their religious beliefs as a justification for bigotry.

Can we get this discussion going on another forum that is not about our own LGBT issues? This is crazy stuff parading as "religion", as it has been since the Salem witch trials and since slaves were okay with the Romans.

It wouldn't be worth the effort to post in Religion. Just read some of the threads. Religion is never responsible for anything bad... certainly not homophobia.