This really felt hurtful. Someone had tipped me off that Sacred Heart, 816 Liberty St, Erie PA was mixing anti marriage equality crap in with the holiday greetings on their sign. It was really jarring and came across as mean-spirited at a time of year when most folks seem to be thinking more about being kind to others.
The text from their church bulletin reads:
Last week, several Pastor’s throughout the Diocese, along with their parish representatives, attended a meeting at St. Joseph’s in Oil City on the whole notion of “Preserving and Protecting Marriage in Pennsylvania”. There is a “grass-roots” movement that is brewing throughout all of the dioceses in our state that is going to try to influence the State Legislature to adopt a Marriage Protection Amendment. With the legalization of same-sex marriages in Massachusetts, and the creation of “civil unions” in Vermont, there is a growing need for Pennsylvania to join 27 other states that have voted to protect the institution of marriage by amending their state constitutions. If Pennsylvania adopts a similar amendment, it will define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. (Jesus said, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother, and clings to his WIFE, and the two become as one.”) Same-sex marriage would become illegal in Pennsylvania. It would prevent state legal recognition of civil unions, which have the same benefits of marriage under a different name. An amendment would prevent our state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. It would protect our present marriage law, known as the “Defense of Marriage Act” of 1996, from any court challenges. It is so important for us as Catholic people to keep the holy gift of marriage as God has intended it, and in the way that Our Lord Jesus has defined it. Over the next several months, parishes throughout all of the Dioceses in Pennsylvania will be working hard to convince our people to do whatever it takes to keep Marriage a sacred bond, and not to reduce it to something that God had never intended. The movement is just starting in the Erie Diocese. But, Sacred Heart Church will be a part of it, to be sure.
After all, who better to decide for everyone else about marriage than a group headed by childless, single men? This sort of legislation is hurtful, divisive and has very far-reaching consequences. If the church doesn't want to perform marriages for same-sex couples, that's fine. (Right now, I am having a hard time thinking why any self-respecting gay person would want to even attend Sacred Heart), but they do NOT have the right to make that decision for everyone else! I know many Christians who see Jesus' message as being about inclusiveness and love, and not this vile imperative to deny rights to disenfranchised minorities.
If someone doesn't want same sex marriage or interracial or interfaith marriages, then they are allowed to choose that for themselves. But it is completely wrong to force EVERYONE to make the same decision. An atheist is perfectly free to marry an agnostic at a Justice of the Peace. By the way, atheists and agnostics are statistically LESS likely to be divorced than believers. And the state with the lowest divorce rate in the country is none other than Massachusetts. Therefore the claim that treating same-sex couples equally somehow threatens straight couples is a complete lie.
Look, if straight folks have difficulty remembering what gender they are attracted to, or receive frequent unwanted marriage proposals from people of the same sex, I would be more than happy to write an excuse slip. I wasn't aware that straight folks were that absent minded or that easily swayed. I don't feel any less gay after reading the wedding/engagement announcements in the paper. Apparently straight folks are not as mature/stable as we are. Who knew?
The text from their church bulletin reads:
Last week, several Pastor’s throughout the Diocese, along with their parish representatives, attended a meeting at St. Joseph’s in Oil City on the whole notion of “Preserving and Protecting Marriage in Pennsylvania”. There is a “grass-roots” movement that is brewing throughout all of the dioceses in our state that is going to try to influence the State Legislature to adopt a Marriage Protection Amendment. With the legalization of same-sex marriages in Massachusetts, and the creation of “civil unions” in Vermont, there is a growing need for Pennsylvania to join 27 other states that have voted to protect the institution of marriage by amending their state constitutions. If Pennsylvania adopts a similar amendment, it will define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. (Jesus said, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother, and clings to his WIFE, and the two become as one.”) Same-sex marriage would become illegal in Pennsylvania. It would prevent state legal recognition of civil unions, which have the same benefits of marriage under a different name. An amendment would prevent our state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. It would protect our present marriage law, known as the “Defense of Marriage Act” of 1996, from any court challenges. It is so important for us as Catholic people to keep the holy gift of marriage as God has intended it, and in the way that Our Lord Jesus has defined it. Over the next several months, parishes throughout all of the Dioceses in Pennsylvania will be working hard to convince our people to do whatever it takes to keep Marriage a sacred bond, and not to reduce it to something that God had never intended. The movement is just starting in the Erie Diocese. But, Sacred Heart Church will be a part of it, to be sure.
After all, who better to decide for everyone else about marriage than a group headed by childless, single men? This sort of legislation is hurtful, divisive and has very far-reaching consequences. If the church doesn't want to perform marriages for same-sex couples, that's fine. (Right now, I am having a hard time thinking why any self-respecting gay person would want to even attend Sacred Heart), but they do NOT have the right to make that decision for everyone else! I know many Christians who see Jesus' message as being about inclusiveness and love, and not this vile imperative to deny rights to disenfranchised minorities.
If someone doesn't want same sex marriage or interracial or interfaith marriages, then they are allowed to choose that for themselves. But it is completely wrong to force EVERYONE to make the same decision. An atheist is perfectly free to marry an agnostic at a Justice of the Peace. By the way, atheists and agnostics are statistically LESS likely to be divorced than believers. And the state with the lowest divorce rate in the country is none other than Massachusetts. Therefore the claim that treating same-sex couples equally somehow threatens straight couples is a complete lie.
Look, if straight folks have difficulty remembering what gender they are attracted to, or receive frequent unwanted marriage proposals from people of the same sex, I would be more than happy to write an excuse slip. I wasn't aware that straight folks were that absent minded or that easily swayed. I don't feel any less gay after reading the wedding/engagement announcements in the paper. Apparently straight folks are not as mature/stable as we are. Who knew?
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