Finally...a church uprising

[Chris James]

All this fundamentalist nonsense about gay marriage has finally hit a brick wall. For those who feel gay marriage is harmful to their religious beliefs and family values we now have a counterpoint. This will unfold slowly and within a few years will be sitting in front of the Supreme Court. How exciting, I can't wait...

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/04/lawsuit-n-c-clergy-members-say-gay-marriage-ban-violates-religious-freedom/

[Cole Parker]

That's wonderful. Pull the same shit the other side has been pulling. A taste of their own medicine.

C

[Nigel Gordon]

Yes, religious freedom is something that can be used two ways.

[Graeme]

To be fair, one of the comments on the article points out the major flaw with this approach:

Technically this is incorrect. Clergy are always free to perform whatever rituals and ceremonies fit within their beliefs and doctrines. Clergy have been performing same-sex weddings and unions for decades. The difference is that those unions have not been recognized under the law. Even today, clergy are fully free to perform weddings in their congregations or for others, and the law does not (and cannot) prevent them from performing these ceremonies; the law only says those unions will not be recognized. Clergy is right to demand their congregants be treated equally, same as all other married couples, but they aren't breaking the law to perform the ceremony. The law does not technically violate their religious freedom to perform the ceremony.

However, as someone else pointed out in the comments, it's a great counterpoint to those who use religious freedom arguments for denying gay marriage, even if legally it probably doesn't have a leg to stand on.

[Chris James]

Just so you know, Graeme: The church is in North Carolina where the law being challenged makes it a misdemeanor for the clergy of a church to marry gay couples. All marriages in churches gay, straight or otherwise are not legal unless the state provides a license, which in NC is not possible.

This is definitely a religious freedom issue and the United Church of Christ is only the first to step forward and challenge the law. A court case like this will only pressure the Supreme Court further since a negative decision would cause Christians to riot and they know it. If the UCC is to be denied then how can other less liberal churches stand on the law?

http://news.yahoo.com/religious-group-files-beautifully-trolly-lawsuit-against-north-202953258.html

[Graeme]

Thank you, Chris I wasn't aware that there was a law that made it a misdemeanor for a church to conduct particular religious ceremonies. That law appears to be clearly unconstitutional. The law can state that certain religious ceremonies don't have a legal recognition, but they can't easily make those ceremonies illegal (human sacrifice being an obvious exception....)