From the editors of the Rhode Island Catholic:
In their shouts for tolerance, the advocates for homosexual marriage neglect to include tolerance for people and institutions of religious faith. Sadly, in many states politicians -including some who call themselves Catholic- have sacrificed religious liberty on the altar of political correctness run amuck. Time and again when given the opportunity to allow the principle of religious liberty to be applied to religious institutions that provide much needed social services, the totalitarian apparatchiks of the homosexual marriage movement have attacked religious liberty and freedom in their relentless quest to redefine marriage at all costs.
We are thankful to Rhode Island Representative Arthur Corvese who had the courage and tenacity to stand up against this pervasive totalitarian mentality that attacks religious liberty seemingly in the name of tolerance and equality. We call upon all Rhode Islanders, especially members of the Catholic community, to continue the fight for religious freedom and the right of conscience, so that people and institutions of religious faith are able to practice their beliefs without interference of the state. It is clear that this is to be a long-term battle, and there are more attacks on the horizon. Together we can fight for our first liberty, religious freedom, for it must be never be allowed to be sacrificed by the intolerance of our secular society.
12 Comments
Until their church is required to marry gay couples, perhaps they'd do better to look inward at their own sins.
Excellent editorial. The redefinition of marriage has vast and varied legal consequences that tag along with it. Any time you take a controversial behavior and enshrine it in legal piety, unassailable and unquestionable, there are bound to be conflicts with other philosophies. It's unfortunate that LGBT lobbyists have been able to secure special rights for their particular philosophy, at the expense of all others in some places.
It is the height of intolerance to encourage what basically comes down to a state sanctioned religion, against all others.
Unless your church has been required to perform same-sex marriages, how has your religious liberty been infringed?
You wafer-munching god botherers already have too many protections for your pathetic superstition.
Very true TC, the LGBT have no idea of what tolerance is are what discrimantion is. And when did gay become a race?
people of faith should not have to compromise theri religious freedoms to play tolerance games with intolerant homosexuals. wake up people of faith. your faith is underattack form secular socialist and radical godless perverted homosexuals.
Unless your deeply held religious beliefs require you to impose your beliefs on others, no one's religious liberty has been infringed. Straight people, religious or not, have exactly the same rights they had piror to July 23.
If you take public money (ie; tax money in any form) to perform your job, then you perform your job for the public, in general. If you only want to serve religious people, use religious money only. I pay more taxes than a church does and if I'm qualified to be a foster parent, then my sexual orientation shouldn't come into play in the decision process. Is there a valid legal reason for declining me? Because sexual orientation isn't on that list of valid legal reasons.
It should be unconstitutional to treat laws furthering the compelling state interest in discouraging homosexual relationships as "discriminatory" toward persons afflicted by homosexual orientation.Otherwise laws against stealing can be overturned as "discriminatory" against kleptomaniacs,laws penalizing drunkenness as :"discriminatory" against alcoholics,and so forth.Desire to do something can not be treated as a sufficient defense against laws disadvantaging those who do it.
I agree with the majority of the comments.
It is good that the various churches are taking the threat for real. They all should have read the homosexual manifesto where the radicals make it clear that will not stop until all churches are closed. The see SSM working with the ACLU as the tool to strip Americans of their first amendment rights.
(1) While getting SSM attack all people of faith by going after their businesses and going after the religious businesses. This is why SSM advocates show up at Christian Inns, Christian resorts, campgrounds, and Knights of Columbus Halls demanding to be married.
(2) Go after the church directly by claiming that since it is open to the public, it must accomondate them. The ACLU will gladly back any lawsuit and thus perhaps through litigation put the churches into bankruptcy defending themselves.
(3) Have people of faith be guilty of promoting hate, intolerance, and bigotry and demand that they be treated as criminals in the state. Those people of conscience who oppose the radical homosexual agenda must be prosecuted. Your bill of rights does not count.
(4) Finally demand that the children of people of faith be taken away from them and handed over to state run children's homes. We cannot allow people of faith to raise their own children.
That is what the future holds for us if we do not step up and fight the homosexual agenda.
The issue is at hand is to make sure our Constitutionally protected Freedom of Religion isn't watered down to impotent freedom of worship.