questions on discrimination and principle

I'm always cautious about wading into to some 'hot topics' on this blog, because it's not part of its purpose.  Having said that, sometimes I do feel the need to float ideas and more importantly to pose questions that arise out of an issue.

Hence, I am going to pose a question on the topic surrounding the recent B&B ruling, although it is not in reference to this case specifically (I did appreciate the gentle manner of Mrs Bull's response, however).  In my readings of the many opinions on this topic, I frequently come across the suggestion that because B&B owners are offering a public service, it should therefore be open to all members of the public and their practices, regardless of the personal religious belief of the owners of said public service.  Please correct me if that's a bad summary.  In some cases people have said that if they do not accept homosexual or pre-marital sex in general under their roof, they should not be in the business of offering hospitality (and by that I mean literal business, not just a general welcoming-ness).

My question is this:  for those B&B owners who do hold these deep beliefs which mean they are incredibly uncomfortable with the practice of certain things in their own home, are we then saying they should give up their business?  For those who have long-standing businesses, a sense of calling to this kind of hospitality wherein it is important to offer a lovely holiday to others, but cannot in all personal conscience accept, for example, homosexual practice in their homes?  Do we suggest that someone cannot start such a business unless they do so?

Where do we draw the line here?  It's a bad analogy, but I'll use it briefly - prior to the smoking ban, there were B&B owners who did not allow the practice of smoking in their establishment.  Now, you may quite rightly say - well, that's to do with health factors, the air quality, and how it affects other guests.  I did say it was a bad analogy, but surely for some owners it was a personal preference.  Likewise some B&Bs  did not personally want people bringing their pets into their establishment, not just for the sake of other guests but because it was their home.

My point, however badly made, is that decisions are made on personal principles all the time, including in the hospitality business.  My question, I suppose, is are we to consider that personal beliefs and preferences are unimportant in these areas and even unacceptable?  That we can no longer officially do things on moral principle?  That the private should never influence the public? Because frankly, we do not all hold the same principles and no group, religion or government will ever be able to force us to do so.  And I wonder if deliberate discrimination and personal principle are occasionally getting mixed up, when I don't think they are necessarily the same thing.

These are my current ponderings and I am not submitting an argument or an answer.  Neither am I commenting on legality and law.  But I can't get rid of the questions - hence I'm throwing them out here out of genuine interest in peoples' response.  I'm interested by the relationship of the private and the public, of belief and practice, of how we deal with personal principle - these things are abstract, but they impact our thinking on such issues.  Again, these questions are not particularly specific to the most recent case, but neither would I necessarily apply them to other areas.

Feel free to disagree - but please be respectful and remember I am asking a genuine question, rather than delivering an argument.

the problem with borrowed answers

It's not just about knowing what you believe.  It's about knowing why you believe it.  If I offer you a rehearsed sentence, a platitude, a ready answer to a difficult question and you come back at me, what happens?  Do I understand the answer I have given?  Is it merely an answer I have borrowed?  Have I been on a journey through the difficult questions in order to find that answer?  Perhaps I should not call it an answer, but a response.  I respond in a certain way because I believe certain things.  But do I know why I believe them?  Are they realities, or just words?

Why are we afraid of difficult questions?  Why are we afraid to admit our own ignorance, struggles, continuing journeys in a messy world?  We know only in part, but how partial is our knowledge? 

Are my answers my own?  Have I looked into the issues myself, or merely relied on secondhand wisdom?  Do I think it my duty to look into the things of God or my need?

We think we can rely on borrowed answers but without knowing the background or the reason they are inadequate.  Life involves getting your hands dirty.  If we offer a borrowed answer, how can we explain it further?  How can we be convincing?

Lately I am coming across these questions in many different places, nudges and niggles.  And the realisation that if we only use borrowed answers, we will be afraid of them.  We will be afraid of them because we can't explain them.  We will be afraid of them because we don't understand them.

They may well be the right answers, or as close as we can get for now.  But we need to know why.

Otherwise, they become merely clever words, toppled at the slightest sign of storms.

blog parade...

 I'm not very good of thinking of answers to questions, but thought I'd join in Abigail's blog parade anyway!


1. What’s your favorite time of the day, and why?








In some ways, mid morning. It’s the time I have most energy, and can enjoy doing things the most.  The outside world is bright and new. Mind you, late summer evenings with the golden sun are delicious, too...  I simply love it when life glows in the sunshine.  Plus...late evening in the beautiful hush and lull of twilight.  All right, so it's hard to pick a favourite, when I think about it.


2. If health wasn’t an issue, what food could you live off?


I can’t possibly limit myself to one food. A lot of ‘treats’ wouldn’t work if I had them all the time, either. I absolutely adore ‘waffle berry pudding’ which is Pampered Chef recipe I’ve made a few times recently – raspberries, waffles, white chocolate…so if I could have that once a month that would be lovely. Strangely enough, I’m not so keen on raspberries otherwise…not keen on the texture. But in waffle berry pudding…










I'm very fond of scallops, but feel guilty about the fact as I know they are over-harvested in our seas.  So I wouldn't want them too often.

I also love:

• a (not too big) lamb shank with some kind of mash (mash potato is always comforting, in general)
• stir fries are good
• macaroni cheese when my tummy can take it (Andy can’t eat cheese so I don’t eat much of it in homemade meals these days)

There’ll be other things. I’ll add them later. I think I’m straying from the essence of the question anyway!!

Later...

I can't believe I forgot!  I absolutely adore yoghurt coated banana chips. Whenever I think of them I crave eating them...can I have some now, please?

3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?

A healed world, unmuddied by deception and delusion and prejudice – is that cliché? I do mean it.


4. What’s one thing that you get teased about a lot?

My nose blowing. I have quite a trumpet. When I was at college, my lovely friends next door would roar with laughter at my nose blowing. (While next door. Yes, they heard my nose through the wall, and I heard them laugh in response. Granted, the walls were quite thin!!)  My brother has exactly the same sound of nose blow, too!

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?


Yeek. I can’t think of one. Too many decisions to make here!! 


6. If you could have one talent that you don’t already have, what would it be?









Like Laura Anne, I want to be able to play the piano. I gave up at grade 1 as I was so shy as a child. I struggle to teach myself now when life is full of so many other things: I would love to simply sit down and play, reflecting my mood.


7. If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?









If money were no object, somewhere in every continent. Is that cheating?  I love places where I can see the natural world in all its beauty.


8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?


Folky acoustic stuff with my guitar. I do that anyway, but I’m not an ‘awesome’ singer alas! 


9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?


Well, I’m guessing from the question that I would have to spend it in a shop, as opposed to other things… Mmm. I might be really boring and say M&S*. I am boring. But I could run happily round the Per Una section replacing my wardrobe, buy loads of presents for friends and family, get new furniture and have a nice meal at the end!!


10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?


I’ll stay where I am, hard as it is. I’m tempted to say the times of Jane Austen’s books, but I doubt I’d be rich enough to sit around all day improving my talents (e.g. piano playing)!!


11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?






Turquoise.

(Am I allowed some white to go with it?)




12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?
(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)

Actually, I’m a bizarre mutation of all of them, come to think of it.





13. What’s the last album you listened to?


Um. Something Andy had on but wasn’t paying attention to what it was. We had Holly Williams 'Here With Me' on last night.


14. What’s something we’d be surprised to know about you?

I haven’t a clue! Do you surprise easily?!



*Marks & Spencer


Please note only images 1 and 7 are mine. 
The others are taken from stock xchng, with the exception of the (NASA) globe, the seven dwarves, banana chips and the Per Una trademark.