Re:

[Bob Hoffmann <escape@alt-escape.com>]

At 11:00 AM 6/22/2002 -0700, Douglas wrote:
>If a Christian feels morally responsible to her God for what goes on in 
>her apartment upstairs, to force her to compromise her religious standards 
>(by passing a law making it illegal to take sexual orientation into 
>account as she rents) is calling the cops on her religious beliefs. You 
>are forcing her to conform to your views, and forcing her to abandon her 
>own. Just say so, and you will all feel better.

Ah, but what about when someone's religious believes say that the "races" 
should not intermingle, and a white (or Indian or whatever) woman wants to 
deny a Black or Jew or Chinese a place to rent on that basis?  What if some 
religion says that people with a particular handicap or illness are an 
abomination?  This issue goes beyond allowing people to discriminate 
against homosexuals because of religious beliefs.  We live in a nation 
where there are various "protected categories."  Deciding if a category is 
protected or not extends beyond looking around to see if said proposed 
category is found objectionable by someone's religion.  Yes, there is force 
behind our laws.  But ultimately, laws are laws.


Bob Hoffmann
846 Mabelle St.
Moscow, ID  83843

Tel: 208 883-0642