Recently, Arkansas passed SB202, or as most equality advocates are calling it, "The Right To Discriminate". Many "Christians" are praising this as a victory, while many in the equality community are saying this is a violation of equal protection and creates a protection of the religious class, but not the LGBT community. Even the Governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, has decided to take the road of cowardice and neither veto nor sign SB202 and has stated he will allow it to become law. He has stated that, in regards to SB202, he is "concerned about the loss of local control." None of this is news, most in our state are well aware of SB202 and what the implications of it are. Many organizations are vowing to stand up against discrimination. One such group is Arkansans For Equality. There are also groups on Facebook such as LGBT Business Equality In Arkansas which are supplying lists of businesses in Arkansas that do not discriminate and encouraging people to show with their wallet that they will not support businesses that discriminate.
But while many "Christians" are looking at SB202 as a victory, it's important to note that Arkansas "Right To Discriminate" law is in no way Christian or in step with what most Christians believe. It's important to take note of who exactly Jesus spent his time with when he was on this Earth. Jesus hung out with sinners. He opposed the norm, and things that the populace would view as "politically correct". In Mark 2:17, Jesus said "I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me." The religious folks of the day took note of this, for example Luke 15:2: "But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." It was no secret, Luke 7:34 mentions that Jesus was "a friend of tax collectors and sinners". I could go on and on, but the point I want to drive home is that Jesus, while completely God and completely man, did not think of himself as better than anyone else and did not condemn people, rather, he welcomed them at his table. SB202 is an example of how this violates Christ's teachings. SB202 sets out to create a protected religious class that discriminates against other people. This is very much so against the teachings of Christ, as he would not discriminate against others, rather, he would welcome them at his table.
For many years there have been many people to speak out against equality and use our faith to justify it. When it came to Slavery, Jefferson Davis said, "[Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty God. . . . It is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation. . . . It has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts." When it came to Women's Right To Vote, Justin Fulton said, "Who demand the ballot for woman? They are not the lovers of God, nor are they believers in Christ, as a class. There may be exceptions, but the majority prefer an infidel's cheer to the favor of God and the love of the Christian community. It is because of this tendency that the majority of those who contend for the ballot for woman cut loose from the legislation of Heaven, from the enjoyments of home, and drift to infidelity and ruin." When it came to Interracial Marriage, a judge in Virginia said, "Almighty God created the races, white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages." We once again, as Christians, find ourselves at another controversial issue when it comes to discrimination/equality and the LGBT community. It is our obligation as Christians to live as Christ commanded and live out what he told us to do, to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are not going to win people to our faith if we continue to work against the teachings of the Christian faith. The Bible is very clear on how we are to treat others.
In the book of Mark, one of the teachers of the law came to Jesus and asked him what the greatest of the commandments was. Jesus responded that the first was to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30). Next, he went on to say that the second was to "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31) It's crucial to examine the importance of the second statement. When Christ said to love your neighbor as yourself, he did not place conditions on it. He did not attach the word "unless". He very simply stated to love your neighbor as yourself. Corinthians 13:4-8 states, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." The Bible is very clear on what love is and how we are to love. SB202 is in direct violation of this, even though some "Christians" show support of it. Christ very clearly stated to love our neighbor as ourselves, and the New Testament goes on to speak of how we are to love and what love is. Christ was very clear on his teachings, and it is crucial that we live out those teachings. That we do not advocate or support laws that embrace discrimination, and that we as Christians rise up against any laws that attempt to demean a minority class, or deny people of equality under the law. Supporting any such law is in direct violation of our Christian faith.
