[superloser]

I guess it’s asking too much for FReepers to take on the question seriously of how Christians in business can set themselves up to avoid persecution by gays.

The only way to do it is not to be a public accomodation, which means that you can't set up a storefront or advertise your services to the public at large. Basically, you have to be an underground business which isn't going to be enough these days to stay afloat.

Delivering poor-quality products is not an answer.

It is an answer. It may not be the best one, but it is one way of doing things. The problem is the way the laws are set up. If you engage the general public, you are compelled to provide service to all comers in accordance with the law. Failure to do so results in ... well, we know the results.

Its a problem that has no good solution other than going underground, but if one does that, then the business is not likely to make enough money to survive.

I'm open to suggestions.

[highball]

“I’m open to suggestions.”

There’s only one - change the law.

In this case, repeal the Oregon Equality Act or modify it to allow public accommodations the right of refusal.

Deliberately sabotaging the product or service sounds nice on a message board, but is very bad business if not outright illegal on its own.

Our only hope is to provide legal cover, but our strategy has been so bad to date that I’m afraid it’s not much hope at all.

[Albion Wilde]

Now that was a reasoned response -- thank you. Do you happen to know if the photographer who was fined for not shooting a gay wedding had a public studio, or a home-based business? It seems almost impossible to avoid being characterized as public if you even have a web site on the Internet. I ask this because I ran a small service business for years, and chose each client carefully. There were people I turned down for a variety of reasons. If you advertise, then do you run the risk of being seen as "public"? Thoughts?

I hope some lawyers publish opinions or law journal articles about this, assuming you could find a lawyer concerned about freedom of conscience. I wish some pro bono lawyer would appeal this case for the baker and the photographer and eHarmony and all the businesses persecuted this way.