DebateGate

I'm not out to play wild hypotheticals.

But...

If you are a licensed firearms dealer, are you not required to do a background check anyway, and would it not be your responsibility as a licensed dealer to bring your suspicions to the attention of the proper authorities?

And if this is a private transaction, of course you can sell, or not, to whomever you want.

In school I had a close friend who was Seventh Day Adventist. Often at lunch, we would swap sandwiches. I don't remember what I had, but he always had some soy meat or something he hated. I thought it was pretty good.

Just don't ever ask me to give up my bacon...

It is interesting....

H has a point about some Evangelical Christians, practically tumping you over the head with their bible, to repent and come to Christ.  It can literally be a turn off.  I know...I've been on both sides. 

For folks that don't want to believe....that's fine.  I'll pray for them, even feel sorry for them, knowing what they're going to miss out on, but I'm neither going to denigrate them, demean their lack of faith, or...beat them ove the head with a Bible until they come around

And yet, you have almost a viscious effort by some non-believers, that make it a practice to do exactly the above to believers...to denigrate them, demean their faith, and beat them over the head with scientific jargon, as if God has parameters limited to human understanding of the scientific method

Is it because......they're worried there is a God, but since they don't want to believe in one, they have to make it an agenda that as few others believe as well??  I really don't know....its a mystery to me, as it makes no sense, the level of demeaning rhetoric one comes across from non-believers, when they come across someone with faith

Had to look and see which thread we're in, seems like they all turn into some anti religious rant anymore.... I keep wondering who pissed in XO's Wheaties. Damn, at some point I saw a thread by Kimba wanting to DISCUSS atheism, so I figured why not. Things went along fairly well until XO decided to turn it into an irrational rant every time he posted. I just gave up on it. Hey, have at it guys.

Plans to hold a John Wayne Day in California have been rejected after several lawmakers accused the actor of being racist.

Supporters of the resolution wanted to declare 26 May - the Hollywood icon's birthday - "John Wayne Day" but a number of Latino and black members of the California Assembly objected.

Assemblyman Matthew Harper submitted the motion, which described Wayne - nicknamed the "Duke" - as the "prototypical American hero, symbolising such traits as self-reliance, grace under pressure, resolve, and patriotism".

The actor starred in films including The Alamo, The Green Beret, and True Grit, for which he won an Oscar.

Supporters noted that Wayne, who died in 1979 and was known for his conservative views, was an avid supporter of the US military and had contributed to cancer research.

However assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez complained that Wayne's movies included "a lot of slaughtering of Native Americans" and that the actor had sanctioned the white occupation of Indian lands, the Sacramento Bee newspaper reported.

In a widely-reported 1971 interview with Playboy, Wayne also shared his thoughts on race relations and discrimination.

"With a lot of blacks, there's quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so," he was quoted as saying.

"But we can't all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks.

"I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people."

As the resolution to honour Wayne was voted down, one lawmaker appeared to downplay the actor's past comments saying "everyone of us is imperfect," the Bee reported.

Mr Harper said it was unfortunate that the vote had gone in favour of "political correctness".

Yup. Been there. Done that. Colorado Supreme Court has made their decision.

 

What they do have a right to, if they walk into an establishment that does business with the general public, is to be treated like anyone else, regardless of race, religion, creed, sexual preference, or whatever. If the business owner doesn't wish to treat everyone the same, he is free to close his business.

Wrestling Hall of Fame to reconsider Hastert's inclusion
Published April 28, 2016  Associated Press
STILLWATER, Okla. –  The National Wrestling Hall of Fame says its ethics committee will consider whether to remove Dennis Hastert from its list of honorees after the former House speaker was accused of sexually abusing teenagers decades ago.
Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to breaking federal banking rules in a scheme to cover up sexual abuse. Federal prosecutors accused Hastert of sexually abusing high school athletes when he was a wrestling coach in Yorkville, Illinois.

In a statement, the Oklahoma-based Wrestling Hall of Fame said its ethics committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Governors, which will vote on whether Hastert should be removed.

Hastert received the organization's Order of Merit in 1995 and the Outstanding American award in 2000.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has signed legislation that allows mental health counselors and therapists to refuse to treat patients based on religious objections or personal beliefs.

Critics of the law say it could result in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. As Nashville Public Radio reported earlier this month:

"A group representing gay and lesbian Tennesseans [asked Haslam] to veto the legislation. ...

"The Tennessee Equality Project, an LGBT advocacy group, says the measure will make it harder for gays and lesbians to find counseling — particularly in rural parts of the state where religiously conservative therapists are common."

Haslam, however, said in a statement that he decided to sign the bill because it addressed two of his concerns. He said:

"First, the bill clearly states that it 'shall not apply to a counselor or therapist when an individual seeking or undergoing counseling is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.' Secondly, the bill requires that any counselor or therapist who feels they cannot serve a client due to the counselor's sincerely held principles must coordinate a referral of the client to another counselor or therapist who will provide the counseling or therapy."

According to The Associated Press, the American Counseling Association "called the legislation an 'unprecedented attack' on the counseling profession and said Tennessee was the only state to ever pass such a law."

As NPR reported last week, the law is "part of a widespread reaction to the national focus on same-sex marriage and transgender rights."

North Carolina recently enacted legislation commonly known as the "bathroom bill," a law that bans transgender people from using public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. And a controversial so-called religious liberty bill in Georgia — which would have allowed religious officials and faith-based organizations to deny services when doing so would violate a "sincerely held religious belief" — prompted a number of companies to threaten to boycott the state. The governor vetoed that measure.

Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.

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Actually, I could almost go along with this one. If I needed a therapist, I don't think I'd want one that took a religious slant to whatever therapy they provided. I would be there to be helped, not preached at.