The hatred directed towards Chick-fil-A and its president Truett Cathy shows the left holds to a different kind of religious freedom. Conservative commentators have pointed to many important aspects of this story, but the real gem is how it exemplifies the stark contrast between the left and the right when it comes to religious freedom. And I wonder how different the discussion would become, if we could clarify the distinction between the two.

Some of us believe there are objective religious truths and others, like my liberal philosophy of law professor, believe these truths are ultimately unreal regardless of what they are. For him, as long as it’s among consenting adults and no bodily harm is done, then the government has no business in it and the world would be a better place if people are free to do whatever they want.

The irony is that, if you take away metaphysical truth in the name of us all getting along, then you do away with the basis of even common civility. But that is a subject for another day.

The conservative, on the other hand, may disagree with another conservative in religion, but there is mutual agreement that they are both working towards a common understanding of the truth. And in the meantime, the minority view is free from government interference.

If it were something that could be settled after a few hours of talking, or like Israel when it witnessed the glory of God at Sinai, then our laws might be a little different. But that is not where we stand today, and our founding fathers knew well from experience, it was better to limit the power of civil government regarding religion.

If we were to have a different kind of conversation about homosexuality, I would think one of the most important things to bring to the table besides the existence and character of God (and the self-contradiction of atheism), is that we are created in God’s image, and that we become like what we worship (Psalm 115:8).

Now more than ever, Trinitarianism should be the Christian’s answer to the homosexual community today. It is also what categorically separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world: That God did not know what it was to be alone until, in the person of Jesus Christ, he suffered the punishment of our sins.

In the triune God, unity and difference find ultimate expression as the basis of all reality. Marriage is designed to reflect this glory, as two psychologically and physiologically different beings become one. The glory of marriage and the emptiness of homosexuality have little to do with passing a constitutional amendment, and more to do with the church being an outspoken example of worshipping the triune God.