The Folly of Religious Hostility

Recently a small bakery in Gresham, Oregon went out of business because they were being harassed by "mobs of gay people." The owner of the bakery, Aaron Klein, reported that, "The LGBT attacks are the reason we are shutting down the shop.  They have killed our business through mob attacks."

What started all this?  Apparently last January the bakery refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple because by doing so Klein's religious beliefs would be compromised.  "As a man of faith, I am in good spirits," Klein said. "I'm happy to be serving the Lord and standing up for what's right."  He cited the first amendment as his basis for free speech and expression.

Just to set the record straight (no pun intended), I've been happily married to a member of the opposite sex for forty-four years, and am a practicing Christian.  And I don't have any problem with two people who love each other and who want to live together, regardless of their gender.  We could use more love in today's world.  But apparently my brand of Christianity uses a different flour when it comes to baking cakes. 

The attack on the bakery was considered to be an attack on Christianity.  " Hopefully, the church will wake up and understand that we are under attack right now,” Klein warned.

I agree.  What happened at this bakery was indeed an attack on Christianity – but not the way Klein thinks.

I searched the teachings of Jesus as found in the Gospels, the core of Christianity.  I read every word, in fact, and couldn't come up with anything about how it's OK to treat gays and lesbians in a poor manner (or anybody else for that matter). 

I did find, however, numerous references to loving one's neighbor, loving one's enemies, and doing good to those who hurt you. That's because what you do to someone else, you actually are doing to yourself, as well.  I found that Jesus taught us to offer reverence and respect for all people, since we are all supposed to be children of the One Father.  This is a radical unity which is unfamiliar in our country that idolizes rugged individualism.

I also found that Jesus preached against unbridled capitalism, such as when 1% of the population makes 20% of the income, and the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen.  He preached against arrogance, and social class differences; he preached against people not having enough to live on – and about not getting paid a living wage.  He preached against cheating, sexism, racism, and warned those in power to serve the people honestly and with integrity. 

If the Kleins of this world want to be hostile, why not refuse to bake cakes for the greedy rich, the corrupt politicians, and the corporate executives who are more concerned with stock values than what they put in our food?

Seems like he's not baking cakes for the wrong people.

Apparently anyone who wears the mask of religious hostility has no interest in sitting down to discuss differences and try to understand and learn from each other.  We would rather try to antagonize the opponent into submission.  Don't we realize that people aren't going to be positively influenced when they're being antagonized at the same time?

But this goes for the mobs of gay people that worked to destroy this small bakery, too.  They also acted out of righteous indignation, forgetting the core principles of love taught by Jesus. 

We are all flawed to some degree, but we were made that way on purpose.  All the dents, missing virtues, and shortcomings in each of us are to be filled in by God's presence and love.  That's the way to make us whole; that's the way we learn to be real human beings, and learn how to live together. 

And about that first amendment right of free speech – it doesn't apply to Christians.  In true Christianity total freedom of speech or expression does not exist.  Christians are held to a higher standard than that.  They try to shape every thought, word and deed to promote only good and unity, not hate and division.  They try to treat others with reverence, respect, and dignity (according to their Baptismal vows), and they try to see other points of view.  

If we insist on following God's laws instead of man's laws, that's fine – but let's be sure of what they are, first.  Who knows, maybe we'll even learn how to bake cakes for people who love each other.

(Note: This article was also published today in the Appleton Post-Crescent)