Really?

The furor over Indiana’s RFRA is not surprising. In one sense, the political machinations mean very little to me. More significant in my mind is the way the Church thinks through the challenges pertaining to Christian life and witness. I’ve attempted to summarize the thoughts/arguments from one side of this debate.

Choosing not to provide a service for LGBT nuptials means:

1. I must want to refuse any/all service to the LGBTQ community.
2. I can’t be Christlike in the act.
3. I’m choosing not to love a particular kind of sinner.
4. I never want to associate with LGBTQ people.
5. I’m a hypocrite unless I refuse to serve all sinners.
6. I’ve chosen to condemn one (wo)man’s sin while ignoring all other sin.
7. I lose my best opportunity to share the gospel.

As a full-time, vocational pastor the community requests my services for various wedding services. In an RFRA scenario, will Christians apply the baker/florist/photog critique to a pastor, too?

Author: Jonathan P. Merritt

Happily married father of six. Lead pastor at Edgewood Baptist Church (Columbus, GA). Good-natured contrarian, theological Luddite, and long-suffering Atlanta Falcons fan. A student of one book. View all posts by Jonathan P. Merritt