The recent Chick-fil-A debate that was caused by CEO Dan Cathy's comments about traditional marriage was, for me, another example of how intolerant we are becoming as a nation! There will never be an end to discrimination if people do not learn the difference between beliefs and rights. In America, your right to believe whatever you want to believe is guaranteed by the American Constitution and specifically, the Bill of Rights. Remember those?
The very First Amendment says,
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
These Rights along with the U.S. Constitution, are what make America a country where it is unlawful to restrict a person's, especially American Ciitizens', individual or inalienable rights without due process. We must not forget the history from which these documents as well as the Declaration of Independence were born. It was an oppressive British government who was unduly influenced by government sanctioned religion. Unfortunately world history including Biblical history, is fraught with too many examples where people in power used religion to commit abuses and atrocities. Remember the Early Christians, The Crusades, The Spanish Inquisition, etc. (If not, a study of history is in order.)
