Is it legal to refuse business to someone based on religion?

[j2thadub]

I used to take freelance projects from this guy who was really into Jesus.  He would ask me to go to church with him, and when I told him I didn't think it was professional, the jobs stopped coming.  Fast forward six months, I see this on his site:

Disclaimer:  Marshall Creative Group is a Christian design agency who believes in doing business God's way. We reserve the right to refuse service to any organization or business whose ideas conflict with the Word of God and challenges our morals, values, and belief system.

Now I'm not angry, because it started to get kinda weird when he would ask me about my faith and i would shut him down, and church people are cheap with everyone other than Jesus, but I'm just curious...  Is this legal?  Can you really refuse business based on faith?  It doesn't seem legal, or smart for that matter.  

How many atheists do you have to turn down before you start to think to yourself, "damn, i would have had a lot more money if I did business with those heathens"?

What if Wal-Mart started screening customers based on faith?  Would they get away with it?

Discuss.

website for the curious

 

[DCAllAfrican]

He can do whatever the hell he wants for whatever reason. Yes it is legal. He doesn't owe yo anything.

 

[champcruthik]

Well that's technically grounds for religious discrimination. If all major companies are required to be equal opportunity employers, fully embracing sex, race, and (sexual orientation), religion falls into a similar category.

 

[futuremd]

Well do you want him to go to hell? 

Of course its legal. He could say he doesn't like your work and that'd be enough for him to not work with you. 

EDIT: What did you expect bruh? All the work you've done is for churches...

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Well that's technically grounds for religious discrimination. If all major companies are required to be equal opportunity employers, fully embracing sex, race, and (sexual orientation), religion falls into a similar category.

Did you see where he said someone gave him (freelance) projects? So he wasn't an employee.

 

[knowledgebones72]

Bruh if you talk to this guy and get him to admit to the right stuff, you might have a pretty healthy lawsuit on your hands to work with


http://www.legalzoom.com/us-law/equal-rights/right-refuse-service

 

[crcballer55]

Yes, the only way he can be sued for discrimination is if he doesn't hire someone based on religious affiliation. The protected classes as viewed by law are largely those which people can't control (race, sex, disability, etc.)

If you're FutureMD (hypothetically), would you really want him designing your site on atheism? A judge would see that lawsuit and throw you out of the courtroom for wasting his time knowing that his religious affiliation is right out there and you're just trolling his courtroom.

 

[41239]

im pretty sure its legal, its things like sex and race that are illegal i believe, i know some places wont work with you depending on your credit score, age is also another one i know many establishments use, like this coney island wont allow high schoolers in, theres a hs right down the street thats filled with urban kids, they wouldnt let me in because they didnt believe i was 23 and wouldnt look at my id (honestly didnt offer tho, the moment i found out what time it was i for sure wasnt going to give them my money)

 

[josebronx]

sue him famb, that church dont need that money

 

[frostythepoptart]

Completely legal, he's not running a for profit public business.

 

[mackmittenzz]

Did you see where he said someone gave him (freelance) projects? So he wasn't an employee.

Absolutely, he is freelancing therefore he is not a employee, and he did not get fired. So it's legal. Now if you were HIS employee and got fired for not having the same religious beliefs then yes, I think THAT is illegal

 

[yeold360s]

@ you creeping on his site 6 months after he let you go.

It's not about the money for everybody.

 

[cocotaso1]

whats crazy is that he will gain business by loosing out on it.

 

[j2thadub]

@ you creeping on his site 6 months after he let you go.

It's not about the money for everybody.

 

that's real...