A hypothetical question about marriage and fundies.

[MagnaChucka]

Okay a hypothetical question for you. How would you feel about it, if a conservative christian came to you as a GLBT person and said "I think homosexuality is a sin, but I still believe you have the right to be married, because we let every other kind of sinner get married." Would you consider that person to be an ally in your fight for marriage equality, or just another idiot?

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Both. nt.

[GodlessBiker]

2. Indeed, both.

[DesertFlower]

3. both. nt

[NMMNG]

4. Both

But hey, if they're not opposing our rights I don't care if they're a bigot. Some like to claim we're out to make their beliefs illegal (like you can really do that) but all we want are equal rights. People can still believe whatever they want, much as members of the KKK and Neo-Nazis do. They shouldn't , however, be able to legally discriminate against others or harm them based on those beliefs.

[greennina]

5. You're describing an impossible situation.

Seriously are you really that bored? You need to find a hobby.

[dsc]

6. not really

there are many fundies who have no use whatsoever for the government. They think God will take care of everything. I know that the leaders of the fundy religions are publicly into the government enforcing God's law but that is a relatively new state of affairs for fundy churches. For the first two centuries of American history fundy churches had little to no dealings with the government. In point of fact, it was the fundy churches that pushed for seperation of church and state when the liberal churches (congregationalist and episcopal) were in favor of state sponsered churches.

[MagnaChucka]

7. Not impossible at all

I have a bunch of fundie friends who feel exactly that way. They feel that if we are letting people who have sex before marriage, and who lie and do drugs and etc, get married, why not let gays get married. Sin is sin after all.

[bluestateguy]

8. Yes, but I'm not gay, so it's not really my place to say

So take my opinion for what it is worth here (not that much, I know).

It would be just like if someone had a personal squeamishness about Muslims or transgendered persons, but that individual also asserted that such people should have the right to be free of discrimination in employment, housing, marriage and public places.

[Toasterlad]

9. I Don't Give Two Shits What Mystic Voodoo Some Gullible Moron Believes

as long as they're not trying to take rights away from me. Having religious nutjobs tell me that god doesn't approve of my homosexuality is exactly like someone telling me Spider-Man doesn't approve of my homosexuality. Actually, that's not true. I like Spider-Man, so his imaginary opinion would bother me more than god's.

[xfundy]

10. I have to disagree with some of the posters here.

If a fundie realized that his/her religious view should have no control in America, I'd say they were being patriotic and supporting the freedom America stands for.

That said, I was raised a fundie, so I know a lot of the deception and "code words" they use to try to win arguments based on their prophet motive. I also know how wack they are (IMO), but I would never deny their right to believe whatever they want, so long as it doesn't impact my life or the laws of my country.

So, if this, your 14th post, was an attempt to bait, sorry, not biting.

[MagnaChucka]

14. Nope

Not trying to bait, an honest question.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. Both. i know that person, though he isnt a fundy christian. he is a fundy jew.

[donco6]

12. Allies actually SUPPORT your rights with action.

Just saying they "believe" you have the right to be married isn't nearly enough. So, my answer is no.

[DeadEyeDyck]

13. Normally I stay clear of the topic but I just noticed that

Jonathan Hoenig, of Fox News Bulls % Bears supports gay marrairge. He is a hedge fund trader and has a web site called "Capitalest Pig". I think Bob Barr supported Gay Marraige.

Not to argue why I watch Fox. I am a day trader.

I just found it interesting.

[Deep13]

15. Someone not so thoroughly corrupted by religion...

...that he thinks he has the right to force his religious views on others.

[sui generis]

16. Here's the thing:

I think you should be able to believe whatever you want. You should be allowed to hate gays and one-eyed indians working the convenience store counter, if that's your thing.

You should just also be American enough not to act on your prejudices.

We don't want permission to have rights. I personally hate the babtists, among others, but I'm not out to keep them from getting married or adopting or babtist bashing them in a dark alley behind their church, stringing them up on fenceposts and claiming I gots the babtist panic while cramming a twinkie in my face.

I would say to that person, your doorstep is your own. If you don't wish to get gay married then don't, but let the rest of us exercise our American rights without interference from your religion, even a benevolent nod such as "we let every other kind of sinner get married".

Americans get married. I am an American. It really is that simple.

[DeadEyeDyck]

18. I can live with that

people will always believe what they want...

[beyurslf]

17. An ally. I don't care what they call sin.

[racaulk]

19. I would say neither.

To me, an ally in the fight for marriage equality is someone who is willing to get his hands dirty to do the work that it will take to make marriage equality a reality. Someone who is going to make phone calls, write legislators, knock on doors, pound pavement, make donations, talk to their families and friends, etc. because they have a vested interest in securing equal rights for all Americans. They have a vested interest because it is their fight, whether they happen to be gay or not, and they find it personally offensive that gay persons are denied the rights that come with marriage in a country where we are supposedly all equal under the law.

Based on the limited information you provide in your scenario, I doubt the person you describe would meet any of these characteristics. There is a big difference between someone fighting for equal rights and someone not getting in the way of equal rights when they become a reality. An ally is the former. I think the person you are describing is the latter.

As for the "idiot" charge, I don't think I can agree with that one either. I am an out and proud atheist, but I don't want to denigrate others for their religious beliefs. I think of an idiot as someone with limited intelligence and an inability for rational thought, and while I may vociferously disagree with someone on the basis of their faith, I don't think their faith automatically prevents them from being a bright and smart person. I've known many people over the years that I would consider highly intelligent but that also have a strong belief in God and the Bible's teachings.

As long as a person is not using their faith to justify codifying their bigotry into law, then that person can believe and worship however they choose--it really doesn't bother me one way or the other. But is having a strong faith an automatic qualifier for being an idiot? I would say no.

[Meldread]

20. I could careless what someone personally believes, so long as they're not working to force that.....

I could careless what someone personally believes, so long as they're not working to force that belief on me. They can think I'm a sinner, will burn in hell, whatever makes them happy. I don't really care, unless it's a close friend or family member.

I'm not out to impose my beliefs on them, and as such, all I want is the same in return.