United Church Of Christ Challenges North Carolina Ban On Gay
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:23 pmThis is absolutely brilliant.
NPR.org
In case that isn't clear: The North Carolina law not only bans same-sex marriage, but it makes it illegal for anyone to perform a same-sex ceremony, even if they know the ceremony is only symbolic. Since the United Church of Christ performs same-sex ceremonies, they are arguing that the law is an infringement on their free exercise of their religion.
So the Conservative Christians are hoisted by their own petard! Brilliant!
NPR.org
The United Church of Christ is joining the national debate on the future of gay marriage in a novel way: The church filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging North Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage, saying Amendment One violates the church's constitutional guarantee to freedom of religion.
According to the church, this is likely the first challenge by a national Christian denomination of a state's gay marriage ban.
Amendment One, the church argues, makes it a crime for its clergy to officiate a marriage between two people of the same sex. That, the church argues, puts a limit on the church's exercise of religion.
In case that isn't clear: The North Carolina law not only bans same-sex marriage, but it makes it illegal for anyone to perform a same-sex ceremony, even if they know the ceremony is only symbolic. Since the United Church of Christ performs same-sex ceremonies, they are arguing that the law is an infringement on their free exercise of their religion.
So the Conservative Christians are hoisted by their own petard! Brilliant!