I thank you for the debate, and your calm, reasoned responses. My limited time requires me to withdraw.
My last word: While I agree we should have as much freedom as possible, all laws (or standards - i.e. marriage) represent an imposition on someone; I was using your language.
Using an extreme example is one way to demonize an opponent, but it does not represent the truth. You will find very few Christians willing to support the likes of Fred Phelps. I think you know that. In fact, I would go so far as to question the designation "Christian" as it applies to Phelps period.
I am not familiar with Charles Taylor, but I will look it up.
Thank you too.
I am not familiar with Charles Taylor, but I will look it up.
Charles Taylor was, until recently, the bloodthirsty tyrant of Liberia. Taylor is a fugitive from justice in the U.S. and wanted for war crimes in Sierra Leone. He staged a bloody military coup in Liberia against his former boss, later becoming president in a questionable election. The following strife claimed over 200,000 lives.
Due to his Christianity, and also money reasons, Pat Robertson is his biggest defender. In response to his habit of murder, Taylor is quoted as having said "Jesus Christ was accused of being a murderer in his time." His piety is extreme and uncompromising, having once dismissed his entire cabinet for missing a prayer service.
Although he has had to pay lip service to friendliness with the minority Muslim population, in general religious freedom was curtailed in his government, and Christians preferred. Liberia was founded from the beginning as a Christian state in the early 1800s by freed American slaves, and has never seen peace or prosperity, nor have the minority religions (who were there first) seen equal treatment.