Tennessee Hardware Store puts up "no gays allowed" sign

[Brittain33]

His freedom of religion protects this expression of his spirituality and faith. You can't ask him to take down this sign, it's like asking an orthodox Jew to feed bacon to his baby.

[Brittain33]

Can someone tell me why one would care what the sexual orientation of your customers is?

Some people think that selling goods, food, etc. to gays is a violation of their religious faith and requiring them to engage in a blasphemous act.

[Brittain33]

Who will be the first Republican candidate to make a pilgrimage to the store? Looking on a map, this is a very isolated spot.

[Brittain33]

Good to see the idiot owner adopting a somewhat more reasonable policy.  I'm still confused on how the selling of hardware has anything to do with homosexuality.

Doing business with someone can be considered endorsing their lifestyle choice, and also expose other customers with traditional values to a lifestyle choice they disagree with and which conflicts with their faith. We have to respect the freedom of conscience of the other customers of the store and members of the community who do not with to be implicated in sin nor have their children unexpectedly encounter people who are gay and get the wrong message about what's ok and not ok. What he's doing is legal, as others have said, and we have to consider this a legitimate expression of his religious faith (whatever that happens to be.)