Friday, January 12, 2007
Priests Forced to...Nothing
The shocking word from New Jersey is that nothing much has changed for ministers, priests, rabbis and other clerics. Following the legalization of same-sex civil unions, religious types now have one additional option in solemnizing marriages recognized by the Garden State -- they can,
should they consent, perform such ceremonies for homosexual couples.
It is even worth writing about because the state attorney general iterated that this was an option for them, and not a requirement. Likewise, civil servants do not have the option of refusing; it is part of their job.
Despite the panic-mongering asserting that legalizing civil unions or same-sex marriages would bring enforced endorsement of such abominations to their sects, it is not so. It is not so in New Jersey. It is not so in Connecticut. It is not so in Vermont. It is not so in Massachusetts. It is not so in Canada.
The AP reminds us that as of February 19th, Jersey homosexual couples can apply for marriage licenses. After a three-day waiting period, they can have their union solemnized by a public official, like a justice of the peace, or any recognized cleric.
You would think at some point, the anti-gay/anti-same-sex-marriage folk would be ashamed to lie so blatantly. Not yet. No matter how many times their prophesies of doom and pagan slavery fail, they keep at it.
More:
http://massmarrier.blogspot.com/2007/01/priests-forced-tonothing.html