Posted on 08/25/2013 6:17:13 AM PDT by marshmallow
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Worried they could be sued by gay couples, some churches are changing their bylaws to reflect their view that the Bible allows only marriage between one man and one woman.
Although there have been lawsuits against wedding industry businesses that refuse to serve gay couples, attorneys promoting the bylaw changes say they don't know of any lawsuits against churches.
Critics say the changes are unnecessary, but some churches fear that it's only a matter of time before one of them is sued.
"I thought marriage was always between one man and one woman, but the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision said no," said Gregory S. Erwin, an attorney for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, an association of Southern Baptist churches and one several groups advising churches to change their bylaws. "I think it's better to be prepared because the law is changing. America is changing."
In a June decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as between a man and a woman for purposes of federal law. A second decision was more technical but essentially ushered in legal gay marriage in California.
Kevin Snider is an attorney with the Pacific Justice Institute, a nonprofit legal defense group that specializes in conservative Christian issues. His organization released a model marriage policy a few years ago in response to a statewide gay marriage fight in California. Snider said some religious leaders have been threatened with lawsuits for declining to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Dean Inserra, head pastor of the 1,000-member City Church Tallahassee, based in Florida, said he does not want to be alarmist, but his church is looking into how best to address the issue.
Inserra said he already has had to say no to.......
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
With the installation of a proper government, acts by homosexuals should become illegal once again. Any demonstrations or parades of their species would be answered by mass arrests and sentences at hard labor on a recently purchased (from la belle France) and renovated Devil’s Island.
No, no one would ever do that ... extreme sarcasm. The day is coming when the tyranny of the state and the courts will be brought down on all who don't worship Obama and the secular left, and Christians will have to choose.
churches fear that it’s only a matter of time before one of them is sued
Gee, liberals looking for a big pay off trying to force an issue like that? Nah!
A photographer is being forced to contract with a gay couple for a marriage, so they don’t have the right to refuse to deal with people on matters against their religious beliefs.
It is already here.
perhaps the westboro “ baptist church” could be of assistant here?
could they be convinced to attempt to hire a “gay couple”.....for some reason?
see where Im going? they would most certainly refuse “service” to “westboro”..thereby creating a LEGAL PRECEDENT....and the rest would be history
The should not be performing any weddings for non members.
If they followed the bible they would know what they are suppose to do with members that are walking in sin.
It says to toss them out of the congregation
Weasel “Christians,” who don’t follow the Bible’s teaching that “We ought to obey God, rather than men.” That will never happen in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Back when I was living in MA, I was on my church’s Board of Deacons when the Goodrich case came down. We got concerned enough to consult with a lawyer. Fortunately he was also one of our missionaries.
Turns out, according to him, that a church can discriminate legally, but you have to have a clearly written policy, that backed up the reasoning with scripture, and voted on by the board, or better yet, the membership. That way, when they ask the pastor, he can say “Sorry, church policy.”
Mind you, I’m not sure this approach has been tested...
The photographer you note will need to find a new job in this country or maybe do their wedding work in Russia. :) .... best thing if your business is important to you would be to say sorry, I am booked that day... If God and His word is more important and you profess your beliefs and you face lawsuits and potential to lose your business, well, they hated Him first...
A true Christian Church would regard this as just another new persecution. Bullying, whether it be by another religion, or by upstart revolutionaries that would overturn tradition and doctrine that is clearly prescribed and substitute their own “reinterpretation” of the Gospels, are in no wise different from the Worldwide Caliphate of Islam or the Communist leaders of revolution in what had once been representative republics.
Either way, this bullying has as its objective the intimidation and subjugation of the truly free exercise of religion.
It is a tough time to be a Christian.
Can we dispense with the “gay” euphemism already? Must the homosexual lobby insist on sanitizing and obfuscating the pathology of homosexuality? The deception is akin to referring to illegal aliens as “undocumented immigrants”.
Amen brother! Homosexuality is a DISORDER. SSAD, Same Sex Attraction Disorder to be precise. Humans would become extinct if it was the norm.
“Humans would become extinct if it was the norm.”
That could be a good thing for certain politically- and socially-inclined maroons!
food for thought.
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/08/23/joseph-bottum-weary-and-wearisome/
Joseph Bottum has stated what he believes, after he left First Things.
That attitude is very common. So much so that I fully expect that a major push will happen soon.
Federal and state laws and court decisions trump church bylaws.
If it’s a “bylaw” then I think I see the problem.
Not really.
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