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Posted on 05/26/2010 1:52:36 PM PDT by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 26, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The U.S. Catholic bishops have come out in full force against the federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). They say they can no longer stay neutral on a bill that they charge will lead to the Roe v. Wade of traditional marriage in the United States, and trample on the rights of employers and those speaking the truth about homosexuality.
In a letter sent to Congress on May 19, and obtained by the Jesuit-run publication America, representatives of the Catholic bishops said that their concerns over the current forms of ENDA making their way through the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 3017) and the U.S. Senate (S. 1584) are so serious that “we cannot maintain the position of neutrality we held in 2007.”
The letter, sent by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, Bishop William Murphy, Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., Chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, stated that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was opposing ENDA. They said the law would pose serious danger to marriage, religious liberty, privacy, the right to speak the truth about homosexuality in the public square, the rights of employers to act “consistent with that truth,” and the right of individuals to associate freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The bishops indicated that they have wised up to the fact that state ENDA laws have been integral – even a necessary last step – for state courts to have a legal basis for imposing a constitutional right to same-sex “marriage.” A federal ENDA would serve to lay the necessary groundwork for building a federal constitutional right to same-sex “marriage,” imposed nationwide, they warned.
“These rulings also reflect a legal strategy that gay rights advocates have repeatedly and publicly explained in scholarly articles and other media — first, secure the passage of sexual orientation antidiscrimination laws, such as ENDA, and then invoke the principle embedded within those laws as a basis for same-sex ‘marriage,’” the letter states.
“If this strategy were to succeed, it would represent a legal and moral disaster comparable in many ways to Roe v. Wade. As leaders of the Catholic Church, we have a moral obligation to oppose any law that would clearly contribute to this outcome,” they declared.
“In contrast to sexual conduct within marriage between one man and one woman — which does serve both the good of each married person and the good of society — heterosexual and homosexual conduct outside of marriage has no claim to special protection by the state.”
They also said that giving the Church a religious exemption would not allay their opposition to the bill. They noted that applying Title VII prohibitions on religious discrimination does not extend to all religious employers, and that they have been taught by “recent experience” that even covered institutions like the Church “may face government retaliation.”
They highlighted the the rights of non-religious employers as well, adding that the “bill also lacks an exemption for a ‘bona fide occupational qualification’ (BFOQ), for those cases where it is neither unjust nor inappropriate to consider an applicant’s sexual inclination.”
They also stressed strongly that ENDA would jeopardize the right to teach the truth about homosexuality – and for employers to act in accord with that truth – with the “threat of government sanction.”
“We recognize that no one should be an object of scorn, hatred, or violence for any reason, including sexual inclination,” said the church leaders. This right comes from the revelation that all persons are “created in the image and likeness of God” and therefore “possess an innate human dignity that must be acknowledged and respected, by other persons and by law,” they said.
The letter concluded by saying that the USCCB could never support ENDA, but was open to “further discussion” on developing legislation protecting those with homosexual inclinations “from unjust discrimination, without protecting homosexual conduct.”
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
New Documentary on Homosexual Threat to Religious Freedom
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10051313.html
Obama Appoints Lesbian Activist to EEOC Board
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/mar/10032914.html
Obama Assures Homosexualist Leaders He's a "Champion" of Their Cause at Private White House Reception
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jun/09063007.html
ping
bump
A year ago, a totally gay guy that interviewed with me was angry because I didn’t hire him. He then reported me to the state of Minnesota for discriminating against him for being older and gay.
My letter to the state of MN stated that the person I hired instead of him was older than him as well as gayer than him. The state of MN then dropped the case!
The perverts are demanding their full rights and access to young boys whether it be in church or the military or through the adoption (ie ownership) route. Sick and demanding that others engage and exalt their illness.
The Church seems to be getting late to the battle. When it comes to legislation, those that decide laws have already been elected. The horse has left the barn. The time to get involved is BEFORE they get elected or even nominated. If necessary, sponsor candidates.
Boy, you showed them!
And if America magazine, which is wholly sympathetic to the homosexual agenda, had not exposed this nefarious USCCB letter, how exactly would this country, let alone lay Catholics, know that the USCCB was opposing ENDA?
From the letter:
The USCCB continues to oppose “unjust discrimination” against people with a homosexual inclination, but we cannot support a bill – such as ENDA in its current form – that would legally affirm and specially protect any sexual conduct outside of marriage.
Moreover, because the passage of such a bill could be used to punish as discrimination what the Catholic Church teaches, the USCCB has always sought as comprehensive a religious exemption as is achievable, in order to protect the religious freedom of the Church, and of all others who hold similar views. One partial solution to this problem is to apply Title VII’s prohibition on religious discrimination, which is already incorporated in the current version of the bill.
How does this comport with the Vatican instruction SOME CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING THE RESPONSE TO LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS ON THE NON-DISCRIMINATION OF HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS:
"15. Since in the assessment of proposed legislation uppermost concern should be given to the responsibility to defend and promote family life (cf. No. 17), strict attention should be paid to the single provisions of proposed measures. How would they affect adoption or foster care? Would they protect homosexual acts, public or private? Do they confer equivalent family status on homosexual unions, for example, in respect to public housing or by entitling the) homosexual partner to the privileges of employment which could include such things as "family" participation in the health benefits given to employees (cf. No. 9)?
"16. Finally, where a matter of the common good is concerned, it is inappropriate for church authorities to endorse or remain neutral toward adverse legislation even if it grants exceptions to church organizations and institutions. The church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values, not simply to protect herself from the application of harmful laws (cf. No. 17).
Catholics keep supporting Godless Democrats and this is what you get. You can’t have Godless socialism and conservative social issues at the same time. Glen Beck is right about preaching social justice as the Gospel. I ain’t in there and many Catholics seem to believe it is. You can either be a Christian or a Democrat, but you can’t be both. It’s time for Catholics to decide which they are.
I=It.
Love it! Now .... seriously .... what did you intend by "gayer"?
Please ... DO NOT SPEAK ... in general terms. Some Catholics (and Jews, non-Catholic christians and other denominations) also vote for democrats. This is not unique to Catholics nor do all Catholics vote Democrat.
The vast majority of Church-going Catholics vote Republican. We Catholics have a large group of “cultural Catholics” like “cultural Jews” who have not seen the inside of a religious edifice for decades but when asked in a poll still call themselves “Catholic.” Thus the majority of catholics voting Dem.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2521420/posts
Here’s an example of “tolerance” for homosexuality: persecution of anyone, anyone at all, who expresses a moral or pragmatic objection to anything supported by homosexuals.
Well, the guy we hired talked about his girlfriend a lot, so I don’t think he was actually gay. But he reminded me a lot of Mr. Farley from Three’s Company, and I had the feeling I could get him to play the part if it ever came to it.
I'm glad they've woken up on this issue.
*snort*
I rest my case.
I wasn't talking about other denominations. 60-65% of CATHOLICS voted for Obama. That is what I'm concerned with. How did I know he was a commie and they didn't? How did I know he voted to kill babies after they were born alive? Why are Dems voted in office in Massachusetts? Mass. probably has more Catholics than any state. If I were Jewish, I would be speaking out on the self hating Jews. Yes, they also vote Democrat, fully knowing that a Dem will sell Israel down the river. When Iran bombs Israel, will they act surprised that Obama will go play golf while The Temple Mount burns? Open your eyes and see what is happening to the Church!
Every time I make a statement about the Church, I get this bowed up response like I'm making stuff up about the Church and I need to keep my mouth shut when the church is burning to the ground. Read the news, it's right there in front of you. Is the Church preaching "social justice"? Why is Phlager still a priest? What I'm saying is, IMHO, the Church is now run by the left. Sure, there are "good Catholics left, but they aren't the majority.
I've already made my points in previous posts you can look up if you care, but to make it short, unions, NE Catholics from Mass, NY, and most of the eastern seaboard, not to mention California, are crazy Democrats that would break kneecaps if the Bishop or the Alderman told them to.
Seems like every time I post, I get this "cafeteria Catholic" exception or "staunch Catholic" or some other qualifier for the so called exceptions in the Church. All I should have to point to is Pelosi or Biden. Nothing happens to them, the still take Sacraments, even when Pelosi said abortion isn't settled on her papal vist, nothing happened to her after a correction from the Church. The wacko's are now in charge is what I'm saying. THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING!!!! Standing up for Church doctrine is now the exception rather than the rule. I've read some of the Bishops fighting back, but it is not the MAJORITY.
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