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09/04/2009

Nun your business: What's really behind NOM's anti-civil habit

by Jeremy Hooper

The National Organization For Marriage is all about their supposed "broad-based coalition." But when you listen to its Catholic leaders Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown speak within their own Holy See-focused forums, you really start to hear what is truly motivating their beliefs. And after some time, you will totally understand why NOM-affiliated attorney Charles LiMandri would describe the organization as being "predominantly Catholic."

Like, for instance, take this 2008 appearance from "Catholic Answers Live" (please :ba dum dum:). In it, Madame Gallagher "explains" how it's not just gay sex and same-sex marriages that will get a good Catholic in "sinful" trouble, but how simply "trying to change the public understanding" on same-sex marriage is enough to anger God. Listen in to Mags' confessional:

(click to play audio clip)

*Source: Catholic Answers Live -- 6/30/08

Now, Maggie and Brian have every rite right to hold on to their strong faith. We could not have more support for their religious freedom. Truly.

But the simple fact is that when someone has beliefs life this, there is no way they can speak objectively on the subject of civil marriage equality. Maggie can go on national media all she wants, pretending that her concerns are sweeping and go well beyond faith. But the views express in this audio are the true motivation. She and Brian are fulfilling what they see as their duties as good Catholics, not what they should see as their duties as citizens within a church-state separated that is based in constitutional rather than canonical law!

It is pretty clear that their rosaries are what brought Maggie and Brian to this fight. As they work day and night to alter the civil landscape for people of all faith views (including none at all), it's time the stop hiding their true motivation behind a veil. They need to own their motivation, the same way we unabashedly own our commitment to what we perceive as constitutional fairness. Framing their opposition as civil might bring them more mass appeal. But it's obvious that the appeal of Mass is the real reason why they give a damn about our ring fingers.

*UPDATE: We've just learned that Maggie is speaking tonight in Scarborough, Maine, to a "private meeting for Catholic clergy." this engagement came at the request of Maine's Bishop Malone: Maggie & ME [G-A-Y]

Your thoughts

Being a catholic (now non-practicing due to the likes of Maggie and Brian and the current Teutonic head of the catholic church) it was always my experience that those who "preached" the loudest (hell fire and damnation) were the same people who were "bushel" from those to whom they preached. Again "Judge not lest ye be judged." Think of the judgment they'll get for the way they judge the people in the world who don't agree with everything they say - - oh my, oh my!!!!

Posted by: tom | Sep 4, 2009 9:59:38 AM

I thought this would have been more obvious given how repetitive they are with their talking points, especially during interviews. When you lie, you fall back on rote sayings and it becomes harder to embellish on the go. This has been Gallagher and Brown's standard procedure for months (i.e., uniting the great halves of humanity, their three examples of discrimination, and so on). If they actually went into their real reasons, the morality issue, you'd see a bit more substance to their answers, a better elaboration. Sadly, they'd lose all middle-ground supporters the moment they became honest.

Posted by: Devon | Sep 4, 2009 10:06:20 AM

Kinda makes me wonder how much money the Catholic Church is channeling into their coffers?

Posted by: Julie M. | Sep 4, 2009 10:49:32 AM

Devon gets it! NOM uses the same talking points over and over. It's standard Catholic doctrine. If you tell a lie enough times it becomes the truth.

Posted by: Tony P | Sep 4, 2009 11:00:13 AM

Tony P - that is so true - I wish I had said that! Bravo.

Posted by: tom | Sep 4, 2009 11:38:38 AM

i love this blog thx for it i love it

Posted by: avoid debt | Sep 4, 2009 12:23:30 PM

Good points. Since in Maine we know ~1/2 money from Mormons and ~1/2 from Catholic church... (and they are getting blasted for that because they are closing churches and decreasing help for the poor.) WELL... Here is a new NOM STORM AD.... well, I doublt it will be produced, but it would be a goodie h/t DKos.

http://tinyurl.com/ym4gp4

Posted by: LOrion | Sep 4, 2009 1:37:00 PM

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