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Post date: May 6, 2016 1:38:33 PM
Alternative titles for this paper:
Should Christians Refuse To Do Business With Non-Christians And Vice versa?
The Inconsistency of Today.
Tolerance and Judging Non-Christians.
* business * non-Christian, homosexual customers * homosexual weddings * philosophical and theological presuppositions * generalizations * lifestyle/ beliefs * conscience (personal convictions. opinions)
* reasons * endorse, support, approve * what does the Bible teach * interpretation * products/services
* consistency * sin * types of causes * logic * theology * challenging beliefs * peer review * tolerance * fallacies
* principles * true relativity * true objectivity * Romans 14 * greatest sin * free will
Study Outline
I. Introduction?
II. What are Their Reasons.
III. Are Christians and Non-Christians Being logical? The Necessity and Usefulness of Philosophy For Christians and Non-Christians.
IV. Are Christians and Non-Christians being Intolerant? What is Tolerance? What does it mean to be tolerant? What do people usually mean by tolerance?
VI. Underlying Questions that Need to be Analyzed. Does doing business with people that we disagree with (that hold different views than us; specifically homosexuals) mean that we are supporting them (e.g., their lifestyle and beliefs)? if someone serves or does business with another person, are they financially supporting them?
VII. Are Christians and Non-Christians Being Consistent and Comprehensive When it Comes to Other Similar Situations? Does it matter what the Christian's profession is? what the service or product being offered is? what the specific lifestyle/ beliefs of the non-Christian customer are? Does it matter what the non-Christian customer is going to use the service for? Does it matter if the Christian is aware? Does it matter what the Christian's relationship is with the non-Christian?
VIII. What Other Questions Should Christians Be Asking?
Are Christians really justified in refusing to serve people who are homosexual, and others who have a different belief system/ worldview than they do? What are their reasons?
Is this really what the Bible and Christianity teaches or this their interpretation of what the Bible teaches, their personal opinion, what they think the Bible/Jesus says?
Are Christians really being consistent and comprehensive when it comes to other similar situations? See above.
Will other people really conclude that the Christian is supporting their lifestyle?
Is a Christian really recommending, promoting, defending, and accepting of the non-Christian's lifestyle simply by serving them?
If a Christian serves or does business with them, are they financially supporting something that they personally believe (or that the Bible teaches) is wrong?
Is a Christian really participating in their sin by serving non-Christians?
Is baking a cake and taking photos for a homosexual wedding really that big of a deal?
Does God support non-Christians and if so, does that mean that He is celebrating with, approving of, and even taking part in, their wrongdoing?
What does the Bible (and Jesus) really teach?
IX. Conclusion:
I. Introduction:
Every other day it seems that some Christians are refusing to serve, sell to, do business with or are boycotting non-Christians. And likewise, some non-Christians are doing the same with Christians. So what is really going on?! What lies beyond the surface?
A. Examples of Christians Refusing To Do Business With Non-Christians: there have been Christians who refuse to sell or offer their professional services and products to homosexuals:
(1) A family-owned Christian bakery refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple: According to, “TODD'S AMERICAN DISPATCH: Christian bakery closes after LGBT threats, protests” by By Todd Starnes
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/03/todd-american-dispatch-christian-bakery-closes-after-lgbt-threats-protests. The article reports that, “...Aaron and Melissa Klein made national headlines when they refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. Klein tells me he has nothing against homosexuals -- but because of their religious faith, the family simply cannot take part in gay wedding events. “I believe marriage is between a man and a woman,” he said. “I don’t want to help somebody celebrate a commitment to a lifetime of sin”...Klein said the closing of their retail store was a small price to pay for standing up for their religious beliefs.
“As a man of faith, I am in good spirits,” he said. “I’m happy to be serving the Lord and standing up for what’s right.”'
(2) In “Christian Photographer Who Refused Gay Wedding Gig Pays 'Price of Citizenship'” by MELANIE KORB:
http://www.charismanews.com/us/41712-christian-photographer-who-refused-gay-wedding-gig-pays-price-of-citizenship. “Elaine Huguenin, declined to use her artistic expression to communicate the story of a same-sex ceremony.” The same article reports that “In 2006, Huguenin declined Vanessa Willock’s request to photograph a commitment ceremony between Willock and another woman. Huguenin declined the request because her and her husband’s Christian beliefs conflict with the message communicated by the expressive event, which Willock asked Huguenin to help her “celebrate.”'
But are these Christians really justified in refusing to serve people who are homosexual (or others who have a different belief system/ worldview than they do)? What are their reasons? Is this really what the Bible and Christianity teaches or is something else going on? How exactly does doing business with a non-Christian customer conflict with Christian's beliefs? Q: Is baking a cake and taking photos for a homosexual wedding really that big of a deal? What are the consequences if a Christian chooses to do business with a homosexual? What if they refuse? What are the relevant parties or elements involved? and finally, what would Jesus do?! This paper is my attempt to answer these and other relevant questions.
B. Examples of Non-Christians Refusing To Do Business With Christians:
1. A nationwide boycott of Chick-fil-A where even “A-list actors have said they will never to eat there again, and Boston’s mayor has said he’ll do all he can to keep Chick-fil-A franchises from opening in his city. And even the Jim Henson Company, which was working on a promotional campaign with Chick-fil-A, ended the partnership” Why? Because Chick-fil-A's COO, Dan Cathy, shared his views about same-sex marriage. See below for more details. (40)
See also:
Tolerance and the Chick-fil-A Issue. http://chab123.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/tolerance-and-chick-fil-a-issue.
Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy dies at 93. Associated Press.
Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy steps into gay-marriage debate. Jena McGregor.
Chick-fil-A President Says 'God's Judgment' Coming Because of Same-Sex Marriage. By MYLES COLLIER
A Conversation With Truett Cathy http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=243
C. I am a convinced Christian, I am convinced that Christianity is true and my personal mission is to reason for the Christian Worldview (see below), to remove doubts, to respond to objections and to overcome intellectual obstacles to the Christian worldview. I respect anyone who rejects God and Jesus but I want to make sure they are rejecting the right view, true representation, of God and Jesus and not some weakened argument or false view. Many times I also don't believe in the God that non-Christians reject or even the God that some claim to believe in. People have expectations, presuppositions, of what a Christian is and what they believe in which may or may not be accurate when one compares with what Jesus actually taught. The examples I highlight above may be hasty generalizations as oftentimes people, especially the media, will identify a Christian's personal convictions/opinions and generalize it to all of Christianity as having that same rule/standard. For example, all Christian's don't drink alcohol because they met one that strongly opposes drinking. As a consequence, many “Christians” misrepresent Jesus intentionally and unintentionally. Now, I agree with what the Bible (and Jesus) teaches about homosexuality, see below. However, in my opinion, there are some things both Christians and non-Christians seriously need to consider before refusing to do business with each other. Therefore, this paper is my attempt to challenge and question underlying philosophical and theological presuppositions.
II. What are their reasons:
A. What are the common reasons that some Christians refuse to serve (make a cake, take pictures for, do business with, sell to) non-Christian customers, specifically homosexual, customers? There are many relevant parties or elements involved:
(1) the Christian, (2) the service or product being offered (e.g., cakes and photos), (3) the non-Christian customer (specifically homosexuals in our example), (3) outside observers (the community or public consisting of Christians and non-Christians), (4) the Bible (what it teaches, Christian beliefs), (5) the specific lifestyle/ beliefs of the non-Christian customers (e.g., homosexuality), and (6) what the non-Christian customer are going to use the service for (e.g., homosexual wedding). What the relationships are between these elements is an important (if not main) issue and is something Christians need to take into consideration before simply refusing to do business with/serve non-Christians (and especially homosexuals).
“Some people distance themselves as far as possible from whatever they deem to be the worst sin.” (30)
It seems to me that these Christians believe that helping or serving these non-Christian customers would:
1. Conflict with what the Bible teaches (the Christian worldview):
-- The reasoning: “The Bible teaches that what you are doing is wrong, that your lifestyle is sinful or the Bible teaches that Christians should not serve non-Christians; therefore, I will not serve you.”
--but does the Bible really teach that Christians should not serve non-Christians? or is this their interpretation of what the Bible teaches, their personal opinion?
– does the conclusion, refusing service, necessarily follow from premise, the Bible teaches that a certain belief, behavior or action is wrong?
– See below for what the Bible and Jesus really teach about this.
2. Endorse, support or approve of a sinful practice either directly or indirectly (testimony) :
--The reasoning: “The Bible teaches that what you are doing is morally wrong; but, if I serve you, it explicitly gives the impression that I (and Christians) support your lifestyle, behavior and beliefs, as being morally right..”
-- this reason concerns other people seeing what the Christian is doing; how others (the community) will interpret the Christian serving the non-Christian (their testimony) and how the Christian views what they are doing (their personal convictions).
-- these Christians believe that if they serve non-Christians they would be celebrating with and approving of, even taking part in, their wrongdoing.
-- But is this true? Will other people really conclude that the Christian is supporting their lifestyle? Do people even know that the person is a Christian?
– Is a Christian really recommending, promoting, defending, and accepting of the non-Christian's lifestyle simply by serving them? This question has to do with what one means by “support”, the difference between cause and condition and the various types of causes as I will demonstrate below.
– Are Christians really being consistent and comprehensive when it comes to other similar situations? See below for my evaluation on this.
– According to Webster, “endorse” means “to approve openly; to express support or approval of publicly and definitely; to recommend” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endorse).
“support” means “to promote the interests or cause of (2) : to uphold or defend as valid or right; to pay the cost of; to keep something going”
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/support). And “approve” means “to believe that something or someone is good or acceptable” (http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/approve).
– Does the Bible really teach this or is this the Christian's interpretation of what the Bible says, their personal opinion? See below for what the Bible and Jesus really teach about this.
3. Make them disobey God (sin); similar to #1 above:
--The reasoning: “If I serve you, I would be disobeying God and sinning against Him.”
-- these Christians believe that if they serve non-Christians they would be actually and directly participating or taking part in their sin.
-- But is this true? Is a Christian really participating in their sin by serving non-Christians? See below for what the Bible and Jesus really teach about this.
4. Make the Christian personally uncomfortable (subjective):
– The reasoning: “If I serve you, it would make me uncomfortable.”
– the issue here is the Christian's conscience or personal convictions.
– This is more of a subjective or personal reason for refusing to serve non-Christians that may not necessarily be based on anything that the Bible teaches.
– Example: A person being uncomfortable taking pictures of dogs because they are afraid of dogs.
5. Financially support and advance non-Christians views; similar to # 2 above:
-- The reasoning: “If I serve you, I would be financing and supporting something that I personally believe (or that the Bible teaches) is wrong.”
– If a Christian serves or does business with them, are they financially supporting something that they personally believe (or that the Bible teaches) is wrong?
– again, this question has to do with what one means by “support”, the difference between cause and condition and the various types of causes as I will demonstrate below.
– this would also apply to Christians who refuse to buy products from a business that supports gay marriage or some other lifestyle (worldview) that they do not agree with.
* Ex. shopping at a secular coffee place that may have workers who use their paycheck to get drunk and buy drugs
– again are Christians really being consistent and comprehensive when it comes to other similar situations? See below for my evaluation on this.
* See also: “Should We All Stop Singing Hillsong Songs?" Worldview Cafe- https://sites.google.com/site/worldviewcafe
B. What are the reasons that some non-Christians customers refuse to do business with Christians?
Similar to the reasons that Christians have but without the Bible or religious elements. From what I see,
non-Christians believe that if they do business with Christians, they would:
1. Endorse, support or approve of Christian views either directly or indirectly. They would be endorsing, supporting, and approving of their Christian views/beliefs.
– Is a non-Christian really recommending, promoting, defending, and accepting of the Christian's beliefs simply by doing business with them?
– This question has to do with what one means by “support”, the difference between cause and condition and the various types of causes as I will demonstrate below.
2. Make them personally uncomfortable
– similar to the reasons that Christians have, see above.
3. Financially be supporting and advancing Christians views
– The reasoning: “If I serve you, I would be financing and supporting something that I personally believe is wrong.”
– If a non-Christian serves or does business with them, are they financially supporting them?
-- again, this question has to do with what one means by “support”, the difference between cause and condition and the various types of causes as I will demonstrate below.
Whatever their reason is, again, we should ask are non-Christians really being consistent and comprehensive when it comes to other similar situations?
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