NB: If the currently installed SCOTUS majority continues to agree that
religion (or other belief systems?) can be used as a reason to violate
secular pluralism in goods and services offered to the general public,
then there will be a path to disintegration of secular society and a
return to the equivalent of Jim Crow laws and other forms of public
discrimination (such as not allowing Chinese persons or Irish persons,
as once was common in the USA in certain geographical areas). Under
freedom of religion with Jefferson's Wall, the person baking or doing
photography for the general public should not be allowed to deny service
based upon the personal belief system (including adherence to a
religion) to anyone. Unfortunately for society, within the
religion/belief system in their place/s of worship, the public
good/service provider is allowed to pray for the condemnation of the
same persons to whatever post-expiration process the faith imposes but
not to use the goods or services provided to cause expiration. However,
under the present SCOTUS, denial of service to those who practice a
religion that would deprive persons of human rights is just as justified
as refusal to provide goods or services based upon religion.
https://news.yahoo.com/faith-based-group-turned-away-222345890.html
Charlotte Observer
Faith-based group turned away from Virginia restaurant over anti-LGBTQ
stance. ‘Bravo’
Moira Ritter
Tue, December 6, 2022 at 2:23 PM
A restaurant in Virginia canceled a faith-based group’s reservation
after learning of its anti-LGBTQ views, according to the restaurant’s
owners and the group.
Members of The Family Foundation said they were denied service — saying
“We’ve been canceled! Again.” — by Metzger Bar and Butchery, a German
restaurant in Richmond.
The restaurant’s owners confirmed in a Facebook post that they had
canceled a reservation made by the group and refused them service.
“After the owners of Metzger found out it was a group of donors to a
political organization that seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of
their basic human rights in Virginia,” the owners wrote in a Dec. 1
Facebook post. “We have always refused service to anyone for making our
staff uncomfortable or unsafe and this was the driving force behind our
decision.”
“We respect our staff’s established rights as humans and strive to
create a work environment where they can do their jobs with dignity,
comfort and safety,” the owners said in the post. “We hope you will
understand our decision as we understand it is your choice to dine with
us or not.”
The Family Foundation describes itself as a “501(c)(3) nonprofit, non
partisan, faith-based organization” that “preserve[s] and promote[s] the
family in Virginia as God’s foundation upon which all free and thriving
societies are built,” according to its website.
Group encourages conservative voters
Some of the group’s actions and principles include encouraging
conservative voters, preserving marriage between man and woman, respect
for gender as assigned by God and respect for the right to life, the
website says.
In response to the restaurant’s decision, the organization shared its
own blog post.
“Welcome to the 21st century, where people who likely consider
themselves ‘progressives’ attempt to recreate an environment from the
1950s and early 60s, when people were denied food service due to their
race,” the post says.
“At The Family Foundation, we believe individuals in private business
should not have to violate their convictions, which for some Christians
means not celebrating what God has declared sin (Roman 1:32),” the group
wrote. “However, most, if not all, faiths not only allow for the
provision of services, like food, to those with whom they disagree, but
they also encourage it.”
Restaurant gets support, catches heat
After sharing another post about its decision on Facebook, patrons
shared their support for the restaurant’s decision.
“Bravo to you all! We support your decision,” one user commented.
“I’m proud of your decision. Can’t wait for my next opportunity to dine
with you,” another comment reads.
“Thank you!! This made me cry, because it is so important that we all
stand as allies with all of our LBGTQ + and minority brothers and
sisters,” a third person wrote.
Some users pushed back against the restaurant’s decision, instead
arguing that The Family Foundation had a right to its reservation.
“I like your menu, but I won’t eat at a woke establishment again,” one
commenter wrote on a Dec. 2 post from the restaurant.
“Can’t believe you refused service to a Christian organization..... you
should be ashamed,” another comment on the post said.
“You’re sooooo inclusive that you exclude people. LOL,” a third comment
said.
