Thursday, March 26, 2015

Good Disciples

Not all people who call themselves Christians are sniveling bigots.

As Gov. Mike Pence prepares Thursday to sign controversial religious freedom legislation into law, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is raising concerns that the measure could hurt the city’s lucrative convention business and tarnish the state’s image as a welcoming place.

Ballard, a Republican, said the measure sends the “wrong signal” about the city and state. Opponents fear it could allow business owners to refuse services to same-sex couples.

“Indianapolis strives to be a welcoming place that attracts businesses, conventions, visitors and residents,” Ballard said Wednesday in a statement. “We are a diverse city, and I want everyone who visits and lives in Indy to feel comfortable here.”

[…]

In Indianapolis, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) sent a letter to Pence on Wednesday threatening to cancel its 2017 convention in Indy if he signs the measure into law.

“Our perspective is that hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry,” Todd Adams, the associate general minister and vice president of the Indianapolis-based denomination, told The Indianapolis Star.

Adams said the Disciples of Christ would instead seek a host city that is “hospitable and welcome to all of our attendees.”

The Disciples of Christ has held its annual convention in Indianapolis three times since 1989. Adams expected about 8,000 to attend in 2017. VisitIndy estimated the economic impact at $5.9 million.

In fact, I would say that the majority of people who call themselves Christians are as open-minded and as welcoming as this example.  It’s the bigots with the big mouths and a roving eye for money and a gullible crowd that have hijacked the label, much the same way the Taliban and ISIS have poisoned Islam.

I am not a fan of boycotts; they rarely work and harm innocent people who depend on the boycotted industry or place. However, it would be very un-Quakerly to embarrass the good religious people of Indiana by giving them my gay business or my gay money, so I will not put them in the awkward position of having to accept it as long as this legalized gay-bashing is in place. I’m sure they will understand that I’m doing them a big favor.