Timothy Kincaid

Today an “Open Letter from Religious Leaders in the United States” was issued which declared equality to be a threat to “religious freedom”. It’s the usual tripe fancied up in silk robes and stinking of incense presented to “All Americans” as though it were universal truth. And, as it pretends to serve “the wellbeing of the couple, of children, of civil society and all people” this letter was not humble in its demands.

Basically, it demands the rights of religious individuals (not just churches) to discriminate in a broad cross-section of the law, and not only for themselves, but in their capacity as caretakers of public funds. The areas they demand this special privilege include “employment discrimination, employment benefits, adoption, education, healthcare, elder care, housing, property, and taxation”.

To be very clear, the signatories of this document wish to pro-actively discriminate against gay people in the allocation of public moneys and even – as they explicitly state – in taxation. They wish to retain the ability to engage in “adverse employment action” against employees “for the public act of obtaining a civil “marriage” with a member of the same sex.”

They call it “religious freedom”.

Therefore, we encourage all people of good will to protect marriage as the union between one man and one woman, and to consider carefully the far-reaching consequences for the religious freedom of all Americans if marriage is redefined. We especially urge those entrusted with the public good to support laws that uphold the time-honored definition of marriage, and so avoid threatening the religious freedom of countless institutions and citizens in this country. Marriage and religious freedom are both deeply woven into the fabric of this nation.

In the name of faith and religion they explicitly demand the ability to fire gay people, deny them employment, deny education, healthcare and housing, and instill punitive taxation. Further they demand exemption from restrictions which require that public funds are provided to the citizens without discrimination.

A less holy document would be difficult to conceive.

But yet, a selection of denominations have joined ranks to present themselves as a force advocating for preference for themselves and for the unabashed mistreatment of their neighbor. And while acronyms are employed to give the appearance of a broad coalition, this bunch consists mostly of the usual suspects: the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), the Southern Baptist Convention, several Pentecostal / charismatic churches, a number of Brethren groups, Wesleyan-holiness denominations, Orthodox Jews, a few composite groups, some ‘me too’ folks, and those offshoots of mainline churches that left due to their denomination’s pro-gay positions:

Missing, of course, was any mention of those denominations that find Christ’s Commission to be inclusive and who believe their neighbor to be not only the Samaritan but also the gay couple across the street.

I find these declarations useful. They establish, lest there be question, those churches that feel entitled and privileged and who actively serve as a danger to the freedom not only of gay people, but of all Americans who dare to differ with them in any area of doctrine or dogma (ironically, when they aren’t united in fighting Teh Ghey, these same churches are fighting tooth and toenail to demean, destroy, and deny civil rights to each other).