# Thou Shalt Not Hire Gays **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579 "1999-11-06T05:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RoboDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@RoboDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoboDude)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/1 "1999-11-06T05:52:00Z")
We all know that there are some branches of Christianity that despise homosexuality. But there seem to be some people who think that hiring gays is also evil. Case 1: Members of some religious group (I think it was the Southern Baptists, but I’m not sure) organized a boycott against Disney for its “gay-friendly” hiring policy. Case 2: A business owner challenged a state law prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals. He said that it was against his moral beliefs to hire gays. What, if anything, does the Bible say to the effect that hiring gays is wrong? Are these people just being homophobic pricks, or is hiring gays a sin? ---
**Author:** ![Glitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/0ea827/32.png) [@Glitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glitch)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/2 "1999-11-06T06:04:00Z")
I don’t think you will find anything in the bible that states not to hire homosexuals, but there is certainly sections that suggest (at a minimum) that homosexual activity (if not thought) is a sin. Therefore, homosexuals are sinners. Therefore, they should be denyed means to economically support themselves and will die out (I guess). [sarcasm galore]One would figure that the Christian thing to do would be to welcome them openly and lovingly so that they would come to respect you as being open-minded, wise and caring and then show them the error of their ways, but heck who needs compassion and patience.[/sarcasm galore] Once again, since it comes up repeatedly, I am NOT generalizing this behaviour to all Christians. * * * What more could you expect from somebody who lets people kick him to the head? ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/3 "1999-11-06T06:24:00Z")
I vote for homophobic pricks. No, not at the polls, I mean I vote that anti-gay hiring practices are nothing more than homophobia. Leviticus is pretty harsh on homosexuality, as well as incest, shaving, reaping the corners of your fields, etc. It also tells you to love your neighbor about a hundred kazillion times. People read hate into the Bible because they are too cowardly to stand up and say, “I hate cause I durn well please.” The ones who don’t read hate into the Bible just have to out-teach the hate mongers, I suppose. I’m just glad it’s not my job. * * * Nothing I write about any person or group should be applied to a larger group. - Boris Badenov ---
**Author:** ![RoboDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@RoboDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoboDude)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/4 "1999-11-06T06:28:00Z")
Does anybody know the status of the lawsuit in case #2? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/5 "1999-11-06T06:37:00Z")
It’s just silly and very homophobic. Nothing in the Bible suggests that this is a good thing to do. If you were to never hire “sinners” - you’d have no work force. Completely idiotic. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/6 "1999-11-06T15:34:00Z")
I think that in the eyes of the actual religious rightist who takes this attitude (as opposed to the guy who simply clothes his homophobia in religious garb), the idea would be that you are “condoning” their immoral lifestyle by employing them, or for that matter renting to them, etc. Bill’s point on “condoning immorality bringing God’s judgment on everyone” a la Sodom may come into play as well. Not that I agree with this! I trust my views have been adequately posted. But it seems only fair to try to express that viewpoint without major slam. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/7 "1999-11-06T16:15:00Z")
Lots of religious groups have organized a boycott of Disney, not just the Southern Baptists. The Assemblies of God also called on its members to boycott, and the Focus on the Family organization also asked its supporters to boycott. I’m sure many others were involved, but those are the biggest. The boycott was called for a number of reasons, among them Disney’s policy of extending health insurance to partners of gay employees (not their “gay-friendly” hiring policy. However, there were a variety of other reasons, too, that were not related to homosexuality. Of course, any company’s internal human resources policy is strictly thier own business, unless of course it’s illegal or abusive. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/8 "1999-11-06T16:38:00Z")
It is currently against the law[in ten States, I believe] to discriminate against someone for their sexual preference. If a person conducts themselves professionally and is good at what they do, their religion, race, or sexual preference should not matter. All the major religions have a ban on homosexual practices -hate the sin, love the sinner, but I know of none that require discrimination in the work place. * * * “All rising to a great place is by a winding stair.” F.Bacon Brille ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/9 "1999-11-07T02:57:00Z")
Glad you mentioned the Assemblies of God, rasta. I’ve been wondering: haven’t they got Him assembled yet? They’ve been at it long enough. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/10 "1999-11-07T04:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > It is currently against the law[in ten States, I believe] to discriminate against someone for their sexual preference. The law is more protective of sexual orientation up here in Canada. The federal Parliament and 9 of the 13 provinces and territories formally prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the private sector, including employment. The four exceptions are Alberta, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Quebec was the first jurisdiction to prohibit such discrimination, back in 1979, I think. (Showing yet again that Quebec is a distinct society.) Even in the four jurisdictions that do not formally prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, there is constitutional protection. The Supreme Court has held that passing comprehensive human rights legislation that protects everyone else, but not gays and lesbians, is itself discriminatory, and contrary to the equality guarantee of the _Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms_. Here’s the site of the SCC decision, for anyone who’s interested: [SCC Decision](http://www.droit.umontreal.ca/doc/csc-scc/en/pub/1998/vol1/html/1998scr1_0493.html) ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/11 "1999-11-07T20:36:00Z")
Polycarp wrote: > [@](#): > > I think that in the eyes of the actual religious rightist who takes this attitude (as opposed to the guy who simply clothes his homophobia in religious garb), the idea would be that you are “condoning” their immoral lifestyle by employing them, or for that matter renting to them, etc. Bill’s point on “condoning immorality bringing God’s judgment on everyone” a la Sodom may come into play as well. > > Not that I agree with this! I certainly wouldn’t discriminate against hiring homosexuals if I were a businessman. I wouldn’t see that as “condoning immorality” at all. I think that not hiring someone solely based on their sexual orientation is wrong, in fact. Very wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_of\_Finland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@Tom\_of\_Finland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_of_Finland)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/12 "1999-11-08T01:36:00Z")
You really shouldn’t hire us gay guys because all we’re gonna think about at work is bending our cute male co-workers over the table in the breakroom and buggering their brains out. And we’re gonna work DAMN HARD to make sure that we convert at least one straight fella to our evil, anal ways. Productive? Forget it. How can I be productive when I’m trying to figure out how I can convince happily married Bob from accounting to let me blow him in the men’s room? Gays. Keep them out of the office. Thank you. * * * Regards, Tom ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/13 "1999-11-08T12:52:00Z")
Must be the cheese, or those long winters. * * * “All rising to a great place is by a winding stair.” F.Bacon Brille ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/14 "1999-11-08T15:14:00Z")
Oops, I inadvertently implied something that I didn’t mean in an attribution: > [@](#): > > . Bill’s point on “condoning immorality bringing God’s judgment on everyone” a la Sodom may come into play as well. This was a paraphrased quote from Snark (Bill) regarding allowing gays to marry, from another thread. He derived it from a public statement from the chief honcho of his faith (denomination), speaking in an authoritative role. Bill justifiably corrected me on his views on hiring gays, above. My intended point is that there **are** rightist Bible-centered people out there who would consider that buying or renting to gays would be “condoning immorality” and that, in **their** view (_not necessarily and, it is evident, not at all, Bill’s_) their doing so would “lead to God’s judgment.” I cited Bill’s point from the gay marriage thread because it furnished a clear parallel. I did not intend to state what I assumed his views on this topic to be, and am sorry that, at least in his view, I implied it. ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/15 "1999-11-08T16:11:00Z")
Boy, Polycarp, now who needs instructions on apologizing too much? \< g \> But thank you for clarifying this issue in regards to my opinions on it. I appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/16 "1999-11-08T19:51:00Z")
“I’m sorry, Bill!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/17 "1999-11-08T20:19:00Z")
No apology necessary. I’m sorry if I implied that one was needed. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/18 "1999-11-08T20:48:00Z")
Tom of Finland joked: > [@](#): > > And we’re gonna work DAMN HARD to make sure that we convert at least one straight fella to our evil, anal ways. [http://www.theonion.com/onion3326/homosexualrecruit.html](http://www.theonion.com/onion3326/homosexualrecruit.html) [/QUOTE] : “1998 Homosexual Recruiting Drive Nearing Goal”. Ya gotta love The Onion. 😉 * * * Quick-N-Dirty Aviation: Trading altitude for airspeed since 1992. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/19 "1999-11-08T20:48:00Z")
Tom of Finland joked: > [@](#): > > And we’re gonna work DAMN HARD to make sure that we convert at least one straight fella to our evil, anal ways. [http://www.theonion.com/onion3326/homosexualrecruit.html](http://www.theonion.com/onion3326/homosexualrecruit.html) : “1998 Homosexual Recruiting Drive Nearing Goal”. Ya gotta love The Onion. 😉 * * * Quick-N-Dirty Aviation: Trading altitude for airspeed since 1992. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579/20 "1999-11-08T20:50:00Z")
Hmmm. I see that if I hit the Submit Reply button, but then hit my browser’s Stop button before I get the Thanks-for-the-reply page, the post is still submitted. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-hire-gays/17579.md?page=2)