WASHINGTON — -  The fight over a proposed same-sex marriage law here heated up last week as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said that if the law passes, the church will cut its social service programs that help residents with adoption, homelessness and health care.

On Wednesday, the Washington Archdiocese said it had no choice.

"Religious organizations and individuals are at risk of legal action for refusing to promote and support same-sex marriages in a host of settings where it would compromise their religious beliefs," Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said in a statement.

Councilman Phil Mendelson, a Democrat, said the city would not, based on threats, broaden the exemptions the law offers to religious groups.

"Allowing individual exemptions opens the door for anyone to discriminate based on assertions of religious principle," Mendelson said. "Let's not forget that during the civil rights era, many claimed separation of the races was ordained by God."

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Am I reading this right?  A church is threatening a government if it passes a law?  What century are we in?  Maybe we need to start another Inquisition because these people who want to pass civil rights laws look like heretics to me.

And it seems so appropriate to punish the have-less citizens in order to force their religious beliefs on the general public.  I'm going to buy stock in firewood.  I smell some burning-at-the-stake events on the horizon. 

Julie

They are practicing the Golden Rule.  He who has the gold makes the rules.

On the other hand, the church does have the right to spend its charitable dollars as its doctrines dictate.  Forcing them to adopt out children to same sex couples may sound great to us, but it is truly against their beliefs.  While I and many others hope their stance can be a higher one in the near future, there is a lot at stake.  If you have not figured out, I firmly believe church and state should be separated.  Where they can work together successfully, however, I have no problem with that, so long as it is to everyone's advantage.

That being said, the real losers here are the 68,000 individuals currently being served by Catholic Charities.  Say what you want about their stance on this issue, they are doing good work for a lot of needy people.  Those are the ones I feel the most sorry for.

Kristi

Quote from: Kristi on November 16, 2009, 08:02:13 AM
On the other hand, the church does have the right to spend its charitable dollars as its doctrines dictate.

I know the CC likes to make it look like they are taking the money out of their pockets from the goodness of their hearts but...

"In the last three years, Catholic Charities has received more than $8.2 million in city contracts, according to the City Council."

I guess the CC rep failed to mention that in her statement. 

Julie

Quote from: Julie Marie on November 16, 2009, 08:14:56 AM
I know the CC likes to make it look like they are taking the money out of their pockets from the goodness of their hearts but...

"In the last three years, Catholic Charities has received more than $8.2 million in city contracts, according to the City Council."

I guess the CC rep failed to mention that in her statement. 

Julie

Very true, Julie.  It would be really interesting to see an accounting of services provided vs income.  Are they making a profit or operating at a loss?  No way of knowing as it stands right now.  But it sounds like the city will need a now provider.  These questions should be important to them for budget purposes, not to mention CC's non-profit status.

Kristi

On another site someone mentioned a charity service that would be more than happy to take over the work (and the city contracts) from the Catholic Charities.  I don't remember the group and I don't know if the statement was fact.  But I'd imagine there is someone out there who can do the work and would be willing to get the almost $3,000,000 per year the CC has been getting.

Julie

Gee maybe if all the religious groups threatened that and then we passed the laws they would all leave.  Slaps face for daydreaming.


Janet