Acts 17:26 – And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Deuteronomy 10:17 – For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
Does Sam have it right?
The first of the three basic beliefs upon which Sam Walton founded our company is “respect for the individual.” Each of us is responsible for creating a culture of trust and respect that promotes a positive work environment. This means treating one another with fairness and courtesy in all of our interactions in the workplace.
We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment. Walmart will not tolerate discrimination in employment, employment-related decisions, or in business dealings on the basis of race, color, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status. We should provide an environment free of discrimination to our associates, customers, members, and suppliers. (Walmart.com)
Do you agree with everyone of their points? I have one that I do definitely disagree with… ‘sexual orientation’. But, my conviction/preference is that a private corporation should be allowed to hire, fire, promote, etc., anyone they want to for any reason they want to. This is Capitalism at its best. If Sam Walton only will hire white, Protestant, married males that are without Polish descent, then that is his right (IMHO). Most would not agree with me on that. But, once you open the door up to making it a ‘requirement’ to not discriminate in a certain area, what other areas might be moved in also? Well, transgendered is moved in now. What praytell might be the next ‘area’ of protection against discrimination? Muslim terrorists?! Pediophiles? Those actively abusing Meth? The morbidally obese? Those who have used so much drugs that their brains cannot hardly function anymore? Morons?
Its best to not employ any discrimination laws or regulations with private companies.
There is no way not to discriminate when hiring someone. They need to be of a certain proficiency or skill level (discriminating against highschool dropouts); they need to be able to speak English (discriminating against all non-English speaking peoples); they need to be able to walk and grasp things with their hands (discriminating against the physically handicapped); they need to be over age 21 (discriminating against 18 – 20 yo’s)…
If I ran a company, I might only want to hire born-again Christians who were not morbidally obese, who did not smoke or drink, who only were Hispanic or Black, who were males between the ages of 20 and 50, and who were not living in fornication. Could I ‘legally’ run my company that way? Probably not.
(From Carm.org by Matt Slick)
Discrimination is not automatically bad. I discriminate on the kinds of foods I eat, on the programs I watch, and what movies I let my kids see. In fact, we all discriminate. We all have criteria by which we judge what is and is not acceptable. I discriminate against child molesters, and I will not let them be with my children unattended. I discriminate against various theological teachings that contradict the Bible. I discriminate all the time and so do you. [I discriminate every time I go shopping…this brand over that brand…this style over that…that price over this price. Thus, ‘discrimination’ is not bad in of itself; it is what you base the discrimination on that matters.]
When it comes to homosexuality, I believe that God has condemned it as a sin (Rom 1). But my agreeing with God that homosexuality is a sin is not the same as discriminating against homosexuals. I have no problem working with homosexuals in a secular environment. I have no problem with homosexuals being my neighbors. I have no problem with working out at the gym with homosexuals. [I might though…] In things like these, I don’t discriminate.
Likewise, I would agree that someone should not be fired from a job (in the secular realm) because he or she is homosexual. I think that is wrong not because it is based on sexual orientation but because we should treat everyone as equally as possible. [But, what happens if the longstanding policy of the company was to not employ practicing homosexuals? And, then, someone comes ‘out of the closet’. I think that it would not be fair to fire a homosexual if you did not make that clear at the point of hiring (in today’s moral climate). But what does ‘fair’ mean? Who decides ‘fair’? The liberals? The WCC? The boss of the company? You? It probably boils down to that society’s current moral code. If you don’t like it, then it might be wise to live somewhere else. Just like if you don’t like paying high taxes…]
Furthermore, because of my religious beliefs and my right to express them, I would not promote homosexuality, nor would I change my preaching and teaching so as not to “offend” those who think that having sex with people of the same gender is perfectly normal and morally acceptable.
To say that condemning homosexuality is wrong is a statement dealing with morality–not with legality. There might be various laws for and/or against homosexuality, but saying that condemning homosexuality is wrong is a moral issue.
[Thus, there is the ‘legal’ context of discrimination, and the moral. The government can make discriminating against transgendered people a crime, but that doesn’t change the morality of transgender orientation being a sin.]
(end Slick quotes)
(The following is adapted from GotQuestions.org)
God does not show partiality or favoritism, and neither should we.
Acts 10:34 – Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
[But, what is the context here? God showing His grace and mercy and judgment; He shows it to anyone He wants to. However, God definitely discriminates…just look at who He allows to go to Heaven…only a select few.]
[How about James 2:1-4 ?
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
This teaches that we are not to be showing favoritism (a kind of discrimination) within a church context concerning people who are more wealthy than others. No matter who you are, ‘at church’ you are to be treated the same as anyone else (in general). However, we know that church members will be given priviledges that a non-member will not be given. Also, male members will have some opportunities that a female would not have (i.e. pastor, etc.). Thus, a church does practice discrimination, and should. If someone came into our services in ‘gay clothing’ then we should not discriminate against them; as long as it met our criteria for ‘covering the body’, then they are good to go, even if it is a cross-dressed 65 year old 6’2” 320 pound ‘person’! They need to be taught the truth just as much (if not more) as anyone else does.]
Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34). If God is impartial and loves us with impartiality, then we need to love others with that same high standard. Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting somebody whom God loves and for whom Jesus died.
[Thus, apply this principle to pediophiles, LGBT folk, Islamic terrorists, Christ-hating liberals, etc.. They are to be loved the same (if not more) as your average upstanding American citizen who loves God, apple pie, and Chevrolet. We should not be picketing with signs that say ‘God hates fags’ (Westboro Baptist style). God loves homosexuals, but He hates homosexuality. We need to discriminate where God discriminates at. Love the ‘soul’, hate the sin.]
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
(GotQuestions.org)
“The Bible constantly preaches discrimination, degradation and even abuse against women! This ‘Holy book’ systematically ensures the second-class status of women, with these things preached by the loving God himself.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims all blame women for causing humanity to be driven out of paradise. As a result of the original sin of the first woman, people lost the gift of immortality, had to work hard to find food, and were no longer blessed with the ability to interact directly with God (Torah and Bible, Genesis, chapter 3). Multiple passages in the Bible not only imply that women are inferior, but also that they must obey men, because God preaches that men are their Masters.” (RachelleMackenzieShalom.wordpress.com)
In a marriage, both cannot be the leader…one has to be the leader and the other the follower. God designed the male to be the leader and the female the follower. God created each in such a way that they would be ‘perfect’ for the role that He called them to. In the N.T. there were more faithful women portrayed than faithful men. The first person Jesus appears to after His resurrection is Mary. Who was around Jesus at the cross? Women. Yes, women have a submissive role to their husbands, but they are very important to God. They can be rewarded in Heaven just as much, if not more, than any man can.
“God created both men and women in His own image and made them equal custodians of all His creation. But, because of their disobedience, God punished Adam and Eve and evicted them from the Garden of Eden. Eve’s punishment was to suffer pain in childbirth and be ruled over by her husband.
Jesus broke with tradition and treated women in a much more [progressive] way than was normal in the society of that time. The early Christian churches followed Jesus’ lead and gave women much higher status and more privileges than was common in the rest of the world. But Paul and other Christian leaders continued to affirm the principle of a husband’s family leadership and authority over his wife.
Christians disagree over whether this principle should apply in the modern world. Is the man’s authority over his wife and family a great spiritual principle decreed by God for all time, or is it, like the Bible’s teachings about slavery, just a reflection of the realities of Biblical-era culture? Today, many Christians believe women should enjoy all the same rights and privileges as men. Other Christians, however, continue to advocate a secondary role for women based on Genesis 3:16 and other Bible passages.” (ChristianBibleReference.org)
Is it scripturally permissible to have a female boss? …to be a female boss?
Gender discrimination is another form of discrimination. Despite the Women’s rights movement women are still held back in the work place. An example of this is the glass ceiling this is where women and often minorities are held down in the work place never advancing past a certain point. Women are often seen as an expense to their employers because they take days off for children, need time off for maternity leave and are stereotyped as “more emotional”. The theory that goes hand in hand with this is known as the Glass Escalator while women are being held down in male dominated professions, men often rise quickly to positions of authority in fields with mostly women professionals. Men are pushed forward into management even surpassing women who have been at the job longer and with more experience in the field. Not only in work settings but we see examples of this in our government as well.
(Wikipedia)
“The Bible is [a] most discriminatory Book, especially as to what one believes. 1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:
And it was Jesus Christ Himself who declared with positive and discriminatory emphasis that –
John 3:3,5 Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That, my friends, is discrimination of the most exacting kind, and having to do with the most vital matter that could possibly confront mankind.
God discriminated when He called Abraham and made a covenant with him, and again when He confirmed that covenant with Abraham’s son Isaac, and grandson Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3, 26:3 & 28: 3-4).
God discriminated when He selected the offspring of Jacob-Israel to become a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. (Exodus 19:6)
God exercised discrimination when He declared that a bride for Isaac was to be taken from among Abraham’s own people, and from none other.
God used discrimination when He said that His people should make no covenants with the Canaanites, and that they should not intermarry with them (Deuteronomy 7: 2).
Our Lord Jesus discriminated when He said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24).
Jesus also discriminated when He selected the twelve apostles, and when He said to those who believe in Him, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you (John 15:16).
In fact, God’s Word, the Bible, is a very discriminatory Book from Genesis to Revelation.”
(Pastor W.B. Record)
“Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against employees or job applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Title VII covers hiring, firing, promotion, compensation, benefits, training opportunities, and any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. The exact definition of 15 or more employees means 15 or more people on the payroll for 20 or more weeks in the current or calendar year.
Title VII allows churches and religious organizations to discriminate on the basis of religion. Title VII states that it does not apply to “. . . a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities.”
Under Title VII, religion is defined as all aspects of religious observance, practice, and belief. Churches and religious organizations can discriminate on the basis of religion for all jobs. This includes and is not limited to secretaries, accountants, and janitors. The basis for permissible religious discrimination is the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom.
While Title VII allows religious organizations to discriminate based on religion, it is important that consistent hiring practices be established. All religious organizations should have a written policy about whether or not they will discriminate on the basis of religion. The organization should make this clear to all applicants and not accept applications from those who do not fit the religious requirements. The intention to hire only Christians and any specific hiring policies should be stated on employment applications and employee handbooks. Along these same lines, ministries that expect employees to adhere to certain codes of ethics should detail these expectations clearly.
Sample Nondiscrimination Policy: It is the policy of XYZ Ministry not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in admission and access to, or treatment or employment in its program or activities.
As a religious institution, XYZ Ministry is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees or prospective employees on the basis of religion.”
(ecfa.org)
“With the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee poised to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimin-ation Act (ENDA) on July 10 [(2013)], anti-LGBT activists are ramping up their misinformation campaign against the legislation, which would prohibit employers from discriminating against employees and job applicants based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
ENDA would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. According to the Huffington Post: ‘ENDA would bar companies from factoring sexual orientation or gender identity into employment decisions. Employers are already prohibited by federal law from discriminating over race, religion, age, gender or disability. The proposal exempts businesses with fewer than 15 employees as well as religious organizations. [Huffington Post, 4/25/13]” (MediaMatters.org)
“Such legislation affords special protection to a group that is not disadvantaged. There is no evidence for the oft-repeated assertion by proponents of ENDA that homosexuals, who enjoy higher disposable income levels than married persons, suffer systematic job discrimination and have been excluded from full participation in the political process.
The issue is not job discrimination: It is whether private businesses will be forced by law to accommodate homosexual activists’ attempts to legitimize homosexual behavior. ENDA will require business owners to hire people they believe to be involved in sexual behavior that they consider to be immoral precisely because they are openly involved in such behavior.
The second “religious exemption” clause [of the ENDA] fails to offer protection for all hiring by church-related organizations or businesses. The clause specifies that only those “whose primary duties consist of teaching or spreading religious doctrine or belief, religious governance, supervision of a religious order,” etc., are exempt from ENDA. In other words, a teacher of religion at a church-related school would be exempt, but, e.g., a biology teacher would not. Thus, most of the teachers and staff at a religious school would be covered by ENDA, which means that the church would be forced to [potentially] hire homosexuals for positions [in their Christian school dealing with teaching non-religious infromation (science, math, etc.)] – despite the fact that their lifestyle would be in direct opposition to the religious beliefs of the organization or company.
It is unlikely that the “religious exemption” included in the bill would survive court challenge: The exemption is likely to be construed narrowly, denying exemption to organizations that have a religious point of view but have no formal connection to a church. Institutions that could be targeted include religious summer camps, the Boy Scouts, Christian bookstores, religious publishing houses, religious television and radio stations, and any business with fifteen or more employees.
ENDA would mandate the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations. ENDA disregards the fact that sexual conduct may in fact be relevant to employment. Under such legislation religiously-affiliated employers in the area of education and childcare would be denied the right to refuse to hire homosexuals, even if they consider such persons to be inappropriate role models for children and young people.
ENDA violates employers’ and employees’ Constitutional freedoms of religion, speech and association. The proposed legislation would prohibit employers from taking their most deeply held beliefs into account when making hiring, management, and promotion decisions. This would pose an unprecedented intrusion by the federal government into people’s lives. (frc.org)