Today's MOZEN: No Discrimination. Period!

F LoBuono

In the latest hot button case before the US Supreme Court, a baker from Colorado is being sued by a gay couple for the baker's refusal to make them a wedding cake. The baker is using a 1st Amendment defense in the case, citing his cakes as freedom of expression and, therefore, protected under the Amendment. The back story is that the baker is an Evangelical Christian and, because of his faith, does not support gay marriage. This may be just fine in your private life, but using it to discriminate against others in your business is another matter, especially since discrimination of ANY kind is against the law in both the State of Colorado and the Nation. This is the case being made by the gay couple.

I am not a lawyer, nor am I a Constitutional scholar. Therefore, I will not offer any detailed opinions on the legal issues involved with the case. Rather, I would like to discuss it from a moral standpoint.

The baker calls himself a devout Christian, i.e. a follower of the word of Jesus, the Christ (and, therefore the NEW Testament). Again, I am no biblical scholar, but I was raised as a Catholic and even went to Catholic grammar school. So, I have had plenty of religious indoctrination. And, as a journalist, I do my research. In my reference research for this post, I could not find a single time when Jesus even mentioned homosexuality directly, much less condemned it! In fact, in the entire New Testament there are only 3 references to it, all written by someone other than the Christ - and, they are open to interpretation!

However, what I did find was this:

For there are these three things that endure: Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is Love*. 

So, beyond the legaleze, can someone please tell me what part of the GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE that baker doesn't understand!!!

The idea that someone can be turned away simply for showing their love for another is the real ABOMINATION. And, Jesus himself said so. It never ceases to amaze me me how many so-called Christians don't really know the first thing about Christ! This guy is just another one.

There is no moral ambiguity here. After all, if we allow this type of discrimination, where do we draw the line - no Jews, no blacks, no beards, no one I simply don't like? What a slippery slope that presents. It makes one wonder why this baker decided to get into a service business in the first place. If he had issues with some people, ANY people, he should have chosen another line of work.

It's no secret that I am a huge defender of the 1st Amendment. And, I am willing to fight for that right - when it is applied in the true spirit of the law. This is simply not one of those cases. This is about equal treatment under the law - and, under god, if you will. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will see it in the same light.

*1 Corinthians 13:13