Letters to the Editor: A Christian business owner wants to discriminate. That's not 'religious freedom'

Los Angeles Times Opinion
·1 min read
The Rev. Rob Schenck, an opponent of gay marriage, center, prays after the U.S. Supreme Court gave a landmark victory to the gay-rights movement, striking down a federal law that denies benefits to same-sex married couples and clearing the way for weddings to resume in California.
Opponents of same-sex marriage pray after the Supreme Court announced its landmark decision striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act on June 26, 2013. (Joshua Roberts / Bloomberg)

To the editor: So, a Colorado web designer does not want to accept same-sex couples as clients and feels her rights are being trampled by the state's anti-discrimination law.

I have an easy solution: Just advertise, "I don't accept same-sex couples as clients."

Or would that spoil the fun that comes from refusing them to their faces? Or might it cut into her business when nonjudgmental people refuse to consider her services?

Maybe she does not want to advertise her discriminatory practices. When did Jesus say it was acceptable to hate?

Pam Wright, Pasadena

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To the editor: The group Alliance Defending Freedom, which is defending the Colorado web designer in federal court, was not started by "Christian leaders concerned about religious freedom." These people started their group to defend the "right" of Christians to discriminate.

No one is limiting anyone's practice of religion except when it is used to hurt the freedom of others.

One of the reasons so many evangelicals have supported President Trump is because they believe he will help them regain the privilege that Christians had over every other religious adherent.

Ritch Barron, Cathedral City

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.