Are equal rights for gays incompatible with religious liberty? (homosexuality, marriage)

[Green Gaia]

With more and more people accepting GBLT people as they there, religious conservatives are starting to lose the argument that GBLT people are fundamentality flawed and should therefore not have equal civil rights to them. In response to that trend, one thing I've noticed is religious conservatives claiming that treating gays like fully equal citizens and human beings is incompatible with the conservatives' religious liberty. Are they right?

This is not a "Is homosexuality wrong?" thread or a debate on same gender marriage. Please stick to the question asked.

[Mr Spinkles]

No, not treating gays like fully equal citizens is an example of Christian conservatives denying the religious liberty of others.

I've encountered some people (mostly Christians) who argue that they are either against gay marriage, or simply won't vote *for* it, because they don't want to promote something that is against their religion. Of course this is ludicrous; these same people would whole-heartedly support the equal treatment under the law of non-Christian religious groups or marriages.

[MaddLlama]

It's not trampling on anyone's religious liberties, because gay marriage is optional, and not forced. Allowing religious groups and ministers etc who would choose to marry gay couples if they could is not restricting the religious liberties of Christians at all, just like being able to buy pork chops, pork loin, and bacon at the grocery store isn't interfering with the religious liberty of Muslims and Jewish people - they just choose to shop at a specialty store, or don't buy pork.
If a religion forbids something, then the people who are part of that religion should just not be involved with it. Trying to force that admonition against something on people who are not part of your religion is in no way protecting religious liberty. Quite the opposite.

[Green Gaia]

Good to see you again, Eric!

[standing_alone]

Equal rights for LGBT people isn't incompatible with religious liberty, but some may find it incompatible with their religious bigotry.

[Aqualung]

Depends what you mean by "equal rights for gays". If you mean that there be a law that says that anywhere a straight couple can get married a gay one can, then yes, that would be unfair, because it requires religious institutions to marry against their religion. If it's something more broad like if straight people can get married then gays can too then no, I don't think it does.

[standing_alone]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

Depends what you mean by "equal rights for gays". If you mean that there be a law that says that anywhere a straight couple can get married a gay one can, then yes, that would be unfair, because it requires religious institutions to marry against their religion. If it's something more broad like if straight people can get married then gays can too then no, I don't think it does.

Well, then I guess it's great we never have to worry about such because it's a non-problem. Religious institutions already have the liberty to deny performing marriage to any couple they wish.

[Mike182]

i voted:

Perhaps occasional compromises are needed, but there is no fundamental incompatibility

only when we start to implement proper equality will we see for definite if there are any problems that need reconciling, and because i can't see the future with 100% probability i'm not willing to rule out the potential need for compromise, from both the LGBT community and the religious communities.