Serious threat to religious liberty

 UPDATED: 9 March 


I recommend that you read this analysis of the so-called "Equality Act" which Congress may vote on as early as this week.

This is from the National Catholic Register newspaper and is written by the pastorally wise priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, Monsignor Charles Pope.

The heads of the committees of the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference have recently written an open letter to Congress expressing their opposition.

It has not gotten much publicity, but is an important potential turning point in the relationship between Church and state.  If it passes, it could pose a serious threat to the religious liberty of many citizens, especially Catholics and other Christians. 

How does opposition to religious liberty work?  In practice, through redefining actions and beliefs Christians have held for two millennia as "hate speech" or illegal "discrimination," especially regarding our beliefs about God creating men and women as complementary and about the nature of marriage.   For example, if a baker refuses to  make a cake to celebrate a wedding ceremony for a homosexual couple, because he holds the belief that Christians have held since the beginning, that it is morally wrong to condone a sin against (true) marriage, then he would be accused of "hate speech" and/or illegal "discrimination."

This and similar legislation is designed to marginalize Christian belief and restrict it to private venues such as worship services but forbid its practice in the public sphere and in the workplace. 

Our U.S. Bishops have opposed this particular legislation of the so-called Equality Act, as noted in the article.   As just one of many negative consequences of this passage, many Catholic service agencies would be forced either to violate their Catholic beliefs or be shut down by the government if they refused to do so.  It could have an impact on diocesan and parish employment as well. 

Please contact your representatives to express your opposition as well.  The U.S. bishops link above tells you how. 

There is also a detailed analysis of the harm the (so-called) Equality Act could bring about, written by a very scholarly South Carolina priest, Fr. J. Scott Newman.  It appeared recently in Catholic World Report.

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