Tim Cook Calls 'Religious Freedom' Legislation 'Very Dangerous'

[bbyrdhouse]

As a Christian conservative it boggles my mind how serving anyone who is gay affects my relationship with my God. I rub shoulders with all manner of people everyday... Some are gay, bigots, adulterers, liers, haters, etc...

If having to serve those who do not adhere to Christian principles affects you that much. Then It seems the only way to have a relationship with God would be to stop going outside.

Also a Christian conservative and I agree with your post. However, I think this is more about freedom and liberty than anything else.
Does anyone have the right to deny service if said service violates their faith?

Example: Would a Muslim baker have the right to refuse service to a patron asking them to bake a cake for their "Hog Hunting" group and that they make the cake using bacon drippings and to sprinkle fried ham on the top?

Yes, I admit, that is an exaggerated example, but touching the pig would violate their religion and they should have the freedom to exercise their right to refuse service to that patron on those grounds.

 

[apolloa]

You must not get out much.

There are several countries in the world where homosexuality is a capital offense. There are many more that impose prison sentences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_r...ory#LGBT-related_laws_by_country_or_territory

I understand you are outraged, but spare us the hyperbole.

Thanks, I didn't know that, but I also don't consider believing it the human race ability to evolve and create and accept equality in a free world to be considered 'hyperbole'. And I do get out, thanks.

 

[tgwaste]

Any comment from Cook is meant to bolster apple and ONLY to bolster apple.

S T F U Tim. I've no doubt you'll still ship apple products to Indiana.

 

[peterdevries]

I always liken gay rights to a guy in a wheelchair complaining he can't join the NBA because he was born handicapped.

Oh my god. Welcome to my ignore list. It's incredible what comes out of the woodwork in these "minimum 100 posts" threads.

 

[BigInDallas]

I noticed Timmy waited long, long years to finally 'come out' and only did so after he became a powerful BILLIONAIRE and CEO of Apple.

I care not who or what he 'loves' be it men or Great Danes..whatever.

However, being CEO of the richest corporation in the world is really not the place to use personal values as a platform. Obviously, Indiana does not hold Tim's personal dreams of a happy social value system.

(signature: " We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. "---George Orwell)

TC's net worth is not a billion $$$

 

[fenderbass146]

But then why don't they have signs on their windows saying ''no gays''. BRIGHT NEON SIGNS!

Thats like saying all followers of Islam are terrorists....

 

[apolloa]

I'm dam glad I DO live in America instead of one of the (middle-eastern) countries with NO religious freedoms. It's such a great life over there.

Are you referring to the middle eastern country's you invaded and blew to bits, and then you fix it so the rebuilding of said country is handled by contracts primarily given to western corporations?
And I am pretty sure this topic is not about other countrys, this is about America going backwards. But perhaps the country is showing its true colours? That it cannot move on from bigotry and racism using religion as an excuse?

 

[gnasher729]

I want an atheist freedom law. Where we don't have to see xmas celebrated in every public building or prayers at town councils or a senate chaplain. Remove in god we trust from money. Take god out of the pledge of allegiance (why even have a pledge of allegiance, that's weird too).

I want to be able to NOT serve anyone who believes in an imaginary being that created everything and controls us.

As an atheist, I quite like Christmas. Interestingly, many Christians seem to believe that it is the most important day of the year - which of course it isn't. Easter is much more important.

I read a claim that someone heard a father shouting at his unruly children in a shop: "Kids, behave, or I'll tell Santa Claus that we are muslims". All kids like Christmas presents, no matter what their religion.

 

[rdowns]

My mother and father are Christians.

They believe in what they believe in because that is how they deal with life and mortality. It's their right to bury themselves in that fear to stop the pain of death and live a more comfortable happy life.

Homosexuals believe what they believe, that we should be treated the same, because they are in pain because they were born with a genetic malfunction as per biological mutation and they spend a lot of time being vocal about that chip on their shoulder and it's their right to try to gain respect as relative equals outside their sickness.

So the existence of gays actually goes against one of the beliefs that God created us, and marriage is a holy thing.

So you can't give gays equality for their sickness without taking it away from the sickness that helped American families and business build this great country.

You can't give one without taking another's dignity and freedom to go on acting as though God created us so they can feel safe.

Meanwhile the people with real diseases living a whole life in wheel chairs aren't nearly as vocal and they truly don't offend anyone.

I always liken gay rights to a guy in a wheelchair complaining he can't join the NBA because he was born handicapped.

The truth is, stuff like that freaks people out and feel like laws are against them in their own country.

It's not so black and white, good and evil. The gay/minority/anti-white male agenda is very subtle and sneaky.

Don't be so quick to agree with liberals about everything. They are usually right but not always. Not when it comes to business and equality.

Wow. Anti-white male agenda. Give me a ****ing break. Sounds like your parents did a number on your head.

 

[gnasher729]

"Around the world, we strive to treat every customer the same — regardless of where they come from, how they worship or who they love." - Tim Cook

So would he sell 5,000 Apple Watches directly to ISIS?

That would be an excellent idea, since every dollar spent on Apple Watches is one dollar not spent on weapons or ammunition.

 

[slb]

Trying to tease out where I stand on this - I get that a business owner can't, for example, say "No blacks or Jews in my shop". It's bigoted and ugly and can't be defended.

But let me pose this question - if, in one of the current examples, the baker says "I don't want to make a cake for a Lesbian couple's wedding because I object to the idea of gay marriage on religious/moral/personal grounds". That is not the same as saying "Lesbians can't come into my bakery and buy baked goods".

That's equivalent to "No lesbians in my shop." It's discrimination based on one's natural-born identity. The reason evangelicals think it's different is because they're used to the idea of having their religious views protected unquestioningly, and they consider it a core tenet of America despite the secularism of the Constitution. However, now they're hitting up against a majority of the public that supports gay rights and considers opposition to it nothing more than bigotry based on outdated beliefs.

Note that slaveowners cited the Bible as justification for slavery, since the Bible gives explicit approval of and instructions for owning humans as property, yet we no longer allow slavery.

 

[iBlazed]

My mother and father are Christians.

They believe in what they believe in because that is how they deal with life and mortality. It's their right to bury themselves in that fear to stop the pain of death and live a more comfortable happy life.

Homosexuals believe what they believe, that we should be treated the same, because they are in pain because they were born with a genetic malfunction as per biological mutation and they spend a lot of time being vocal about that chip on their shoulder and it's their right to try to gain respect as relative equals outside their sickness.

So the existence of gays actually goes against one of the beliefs that God created us, and marriage is a holy thing.

So you can't give gays equality for their sickness without taking it away from the sickness that helped American families and business build this great country.

You can't give one without taking another's dignity and freedom to go on acting as though God created us so they can feel safe.

Meanwhile the people with real diseases living a whole life in wheel chairs aren't nearly as vocal and they truly don't offend anyone.

I always liken gay rights to a guy in a wheelchair complaining he can't join the NBA because he was born handicapped.

The truth is, stuff like that freaks people out and feel like laws are against them in their own country.

It's not so black and white, good and evil. The gay/minority/anti-white male agenda is very subtle and sneaky.

Don't be so quick to agree with liberals about everything. They are usually right but not always. Not when it comes to business and equality.

Homosexuality is not a sickness. It's a normal variation in human sexuality. Your views are outdated, stop trying to pass them off as fact. Being gay isn't a handicap, it only becomes one when right wing religious bigots attempt to make it one. That won't fly in America anymore, as you can see from this backlash. Gay marriage will be law of the land by June and these RFRA laws are causing outrage by conservatives and liberals alike, as well as all major corporations. Good luck with your failed agenda!

PS. Lots of white Christian males are gay. Example: Tim Cook

 

[thekev]

snip

I've never read so much text with so little credibility. You even tried to provide unsound scientific justification alongside your fairytale nonsense.

 

[BigInDallas]

Oh my god. Welcome to my ignore list. It's incredible what comes out of the woodwork in these "minimum 100 posts" threads.

Why not just ignore him and not tell him you are

 

[Xultar]

And this is my problem with Cook. It's not "his" company. If I started tweeting stuff like this I would be fired. I don't begrude him any personal beliefs/etc., but he needs to stop speaking on behalf of an entire public company with those agendas.

This isn't directed at you. But I read posts before this and after this and I'm seeing a theme.

---------------------------
People you can't have it both ways...

Tim shouldnt to voice personal agendas or beliefs because he doesn't own the company. But at the same people are for businesses discriminating because it's their right cuz capitalism cuz beliefs and all that.

Make up your minds folks.

You don't like Tim's stance or what he's saying now, then BOYCOTT and let the market decide right?

Isn't that what you're telling people being sent away from businesses that are voicing their personal beliefs in states with these laws. Suck it up & boycott?

 

[iBlazed]

Wow. Anti-white male agenda. Give me a ****ing break. Sounds like your parents did a number on your head.

Yeah isn't it absolutely adorable when bigots try to make the arguments that they're the ones persecuted?

 

[inhalexhale1]

Oh geesh! Here we go again:

"That’s why, on behalf of Apple, I’m standing up to oppose this new wave of legislation — wherever it emerges."

BAD BAD BAD idea to bring the company and it's shareholders into this controversy. If he doesn't do anything about it (like pulling Apple from states that support the legislation), it makes him look like a hypocrite.

He already looks like a hypocrite. I'm not sure how you can be a champion of civil rights, when your company depends on child labor to thrive. I'm getting so tired of this guy acting like he and Apple are so above and beyond ethical.

 

[anewman143]

That's equivalent to "No lesbians in my shop." It's discrimination based on one's natural-born identity. The reason evangelicals think it's different is because they're used to the idea of having their religious views protected unquestioningly, and they consider it a core tenet of America despite the secularism of the Constitution. However, now they're hitting up against a majority of the public that supports gay rights and considers opposition to it nothing more than bigotry based on outdated beliefs.

Note that slaveowners cited the Bible as justification for slavery, since the Bible gives explicit approval of and instructions for owning humans as property, yet we no longer allow slavery.

I am not suggesting that "justified" bigotry is anything but bigotry - I'm just saying that telling a business owner what to do is like telling me to perform an abortion - I still happily take of these women - I just don't perform that procedure. So the baker can keep baking, but shouldn't be "forced" to bake a wedding cake if they find it objectionable...the baker isn't saying "no gays in my shop"...he/she is just saying they won't bake them a wedding cake because it somehow offends their belief system.

 

[darcyf]

I'm sorry and I am sure I will get flamed for this, but religious freedom goes both ways. You shouldn't make a Christian photographer take photos for a same-sex wedding. IMO. This law isn't giving a free pass to anyone to deny service for the hell of it. There are more stipulations.

A person's religious beliefs do not, and should never trump a nation's beliefs in equality.

 

[slb]

I'm sorry and I am sure I will get flamed for this, but religious freedom goes both ways. You shouldn't make a Christian photographer take photos for a same-sex wedding. IMO. This law isn't giving a free pass to anyone to deny service for the hell of it. There are more stipulations.

Should a Muslim be allowed to deny service to Jews? Many suras in the Koran refer to Jews as a cursed people.

 

[Xultar]

I never thought in my wildest dreams a company like Apple had fans that were so intolerant.

Every time I come to macrumors I'm shocked at what I see.

I never thought I'd see people that like Apple decry diverse emoj & a CEO that stands up for his customers regardless of their race and sexual orientation.

WOW

 

[Bobby Corwen]

Wow. Anti-white male agenda. Give me a ****ing break. Sounds like your parents did a number on your head.

Id rather have my parents love me and raise me right with confidence and love as opposed to the trash that is in society.

Did you know there are a group of people who were raised children to gay couples who are petitioning to get gay marriage removed because they first hand believe it is not healthy to develop like that in society and they have all types of developmental and emotional maturity issues because they had gay parents.

Its not normal. Nobody should think it is. We should just have mercy on gays and treat them equal, not act like its just a sexual preference.

Conceptually it tears at the fibers of family life itself which is the cornerstone of our society.

A lot of minorities and gays out there just have a bitter hate for "normal" straight confident white people and the hate is disguised as calls for "equality." You can always tell by how aggressive they are in their "opinions"

aka lemme bring the winners in life down a notch

 

[iBlazed]

Any comment from Cook is meant to bolster apple and ONLY to bolster apple.

S T F U Tim. I've no doubt you'll still ship apple products to Indiana.

So? Nothing wrong with profiting off bigots. Maybe they should all boycott apple and go to Microsoft or Google. I'm sure neither of those companies are pro-gay. Oh wait, they both are!

 

[theheadguy]

I'm sorry and I am sure I will get flamed for this, but religious freedom goes both ways. You shouldn't make a Christian photographer take photos for a same-sex wedding. IMO. This law isn't giving a free pass to anyone to deny service for the hell of it. There are more stipulations.

It's not that you'll get flamed, it's that people will simply point out how you're discriminatory. In your ideal world, every single wedding photographer would have a list of what type of people they're willing to photograph, and what type of people are not permitted. What a sad pathetic vision to have.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

So Tim Cook is advocating solving perceived discrimination against homosexuals with government mandated discrimination against religion.

Got it.