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In response to the filing on Friday of Washington’s civil marriage equality bill, the Washington State Catholic Conference issued a statement in opposition called “Marriage and the Common Good” (PDF).
The document is signed by the state’s four bishops (pictured below), including Archbishop of Seattle J. Peter Sartain who is also secretary-elect to the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops. With that authorship the reader might expect to find the arguments presented against marriage equality to be religious-based. That is not the case.
“Upholding the present definition of marriage does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs,” is the key sentence in the bishops’ statement. It constitutes a capitulation to the fact that a supermajority of American Catholics support marriage equality and have already rejected religious-based arguments for discrimination against their gay and lesbian friends and family members.
The bishops are undoubtedly aware that the supermajority of their flock do not view them as authorities on matters of civil marriage equality and are more likely to relate to the views expressed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, the third catholic governor in a row to champion a marriage equality bill:
Religions can decide what they want to do, …but it’s time for us to stand up and understand [that] the state cannot be in the business of discrimination.
The bishops were thus in the peculiar position of having to present to the flock — as members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy — a secular argument against civil marriage equality. Of course there are no logical secular arguments against marriage equality, so this is what they presented instead:
Legislation has been introduced in Washington State to change the current law defining marriage. The present law states: “marriage is a civil contract between a male and a female…” This same law also prohibits marriage to close-blood relations, a clear indication that the definition of marriage is related to bringing children into the world and the continuation of the human race. The legislation to redefine marriage, therefore, is not in the public interest.
In actuality the human race could continue itself just fine without marriage. Forty-one percent of births in the U.S. are by unmarried women, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, while most will agree that civil marriage helps provide stability and security for any children a couple (gay or straight) may have, there is absolutely no expectation or even mention of “bringing children into the world” in Washington’s civil marriage laws, nor are sterile individuals or people who choose to remain childless prevented from marrying. And finally, the law does not seek to force childless couples to divorce.
By proffering a secular argument in the first place, then one that is so easily refuted by fact, the bishops of Washington demonstrate that there are no acceptable religious reasons and no logical secular reasons to oppose civil marriage equality.
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| J. Peter Sartain, Archbishop of Seattle | Blase J. Cupich, Bishop of Spokane | Eusebio Elizondo, Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle | Joseph J. Tyson, Diocese of Yakima |
30 Comments
Over at The Stranger, Dominic Holden has a suggestion for Washington’s Catholic church-goers called Surprise on the Collection Plate. “Today I’m making a donation to Washington United instead…”
So I guess my wife and I will simply have to increase what we give (in response to Holden). Oh well, it won’t be the 1st time. Regarding the statement about the percentage of out-of-wedlock births, that isn’t an arguement against the purpose of marriage, it is a reflection of the decline of the culture.
For some reason, this popped into my head as I was reading this post:
“[T]radition doesn’t need to have meaning to be traditional, all it needs is repetition.”
DearTomonthebay…Did you also increase your weekly offering to the Church to help it pay all the settlements for its decades-old pedophile and cover-up scandals? Just wondering…
Excuse me if I don’t take moral advice from a bunch of child molesters.
Marriage has been historically about property rights. I’ve never understood the Church’s illogical and mean-spirited meddling in affairs of state. Not everyone is asking to be married in the Church; give Caesar his due.
What are the odds that at least one of the four men pictured is a repressed homosexual?
I’d say the odds be 50/50.
What are the odds that 100 percent of the men pictured represent an organization which has systemically hidden the crimes of pedophiles among its membership?
Which man pays his fair share of taxes to support the society he seeks to control?
It is impressive one thinks to advance arguments behind your vestments and cloaks of authority. But they are foolish and to join them lends them the credence they do not deserve.
And you figure these asses and their pedophile friends should lead us back to where? their promised land?
#1 – There are LOTS of people who either choose not to have children, or can not have children for some physical reason. According to this letter, I guess those folks shouldn’t be married.
#2 – I’m sorry, but where is there an “official” definition of marriage?
#3 – Why does the catholic church still get a tax exemption? If this isn’t political, I don’t know what is.
Tangentially related factoid.
Iran (Wright’s book on the revolution, 20 years later) has a world class and world imitated family planning program. Among the more usual items, genetic testing between closely related individuals who wish to marry is mandated, at govt expense of course. Still a lot of tribal practices in Iran, so can’t prevent the marriages but you can handle their potential problems more intelligently. I think first cousin marriages are not allowed.
To tie into broader subject, you don’t have to have laws on a lot of these matters. There are other possible avenues if you think there’s a problem.
Despite my desire to scream this in all caps, I’ll use my inside voice.
Why. Are. These. People. Tax. Exempt.
Heavens. Knows. We. are. mere. mortals.
Right before the 2010 election some conservative group gave the archdiocese in the Twin Cities funding to mail hundreds of thousands of anti-gay marriage DVDs to every Catholic family in the archdiocese.
Among the bishops’sins, is their willingness to be used by the right-wing as compliant stoogies.
I guess that since my wife and I married with the decision / intention of not having children, we should have been refused a CIVIL marriage license! I did not notice and the city clerk must have ignored that commitment to creating children requirement. Does this mean that our CIVIL marriage license should or will be revoked and the marriage “annulled?”
Continuation of the human race would not seem in doubt, given the global population.
OTOH, global warming or nuclear war might put it in jeopardy. Why are the bishops not concerned about more realistic threats.
Separation of Church and State? Not being liable for taxes settles that matter, at least a little.
They are themselves right wingers.
The Catholic Church:
Wealthy, pays no taxes. warmongers. Holds Protest Rallys at Abortion Clinics, Fear Mongers, Bribes the government, Lobbyists, Persuade follwers to vote rethuglican. Supports Rethug Candidates. Attacks Other Candidates. Cows Democrats into supporting Anti Abortion. Vacuums up Public Education Funding.
300AD – Constantine used the Church expand the Roman Empire, help govern the territories and to indoctrinate soldiers for further expansion. Warmaking for God.
Still doing it today.
And who do you suppose decides which “church” is legit and gets to be tax exempt and which is not? The IRS. Is that not the most flagrant abuse of the establishment clause you could imagine? Well actually the answer is no, I give that honor to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Iniatives. And it’s never had a damned thing to do with reasonable, whatever the hell that means; it’s always been about political clout, which the Roman Catholic Church heirarchy continues to wield like a nine-pound hammer. And besides there is federal statute to the effect that involvement in partisan politics is grounds for revocation of the tax-exempt status of the offending church. When not a word was breathed about the partisan nature of the Bishop of Boston’s excommunication of John Kerry in the middle of the 2004 presidential election campaign we got an inkling of what political clout is.
Too much communion wine. The restriction on close-blood marriages is to avoid genetic disorders in offspring. In fact, close-blood marriages are a grounds for annulment in the catholic church, as well.
Tangential– Film footage from yesterday’s Occupy the Vatican action is here (mostly in Spanish and some English but you’ll get it):
Wouldn’t it be simpler to just outlaw marriage. It’s an archaic institution whose time has come and gone. Gotta love those TV commercials imploring people to “come home” to the church though. What whores these churches are.
Every time I see a statement from any supposed religious organization, also my first thought. Gross receipts from the collection plate, no deductions for operational or personnel costs.
Ypu forgot to include “propagandises to influence the outcome of elections” and “participates in the overthrow of elected governments”
Dear CompChick, Do you endorse sending children to the public schools in the U.S.? The child abuse rates within the public school system is 100X that of the Catholic Church…. The sex abuse issue in the U.S. (and the same thing is now happening in Europe) has been stopped. Look at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Report on the Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States – 1950 – 2010. The Catholic Church is the only organization on the planet that has paid out hundreds of millions in compensation to victims and provided follow up mental healh services to the victims. The fact is, the safest place for a child today is in a U.S. Catholic institution of anykind.
So I have a question for you. Are you just uninformed or are you an anti-Catholic bigot?
RaggMopp, there is also something called freedom of speech. Church’s are no different, they have every right to educate their followers as to their faith beliefs and which candidates uphold them best. Too bad you don’t like it.
nonquixote, I’m betting it doesn’t bother you one bit that Planned Parenthood receives hundreds of millions in tax money each year huh? Sure they pay taxes, have personnel and operational costs; it must cost a lot to kill babies in the womb.
Sharkbabe:
Because. They. Are. A. Church. And. They. Enjoy. Free. Speech. Too.
Hackworth….let’s mix in a few facts with your diatribe:
Wealth – The Catholic Church is among the top 10 charitable organizations on the planet. It has more than a billion members who donate to the Church and the Church does amazing good with the money.
Warmongers – hahahahaha…..your funny, we disarmed the nuns along time ago
Pays no taxes: All churches and many other non profit organizations who qualify under 501(c)(3) pay no taxes it is not limited to the the Catholic Church. All of these organizations have the right to free speech to speak to their membership on matters pertaining to their faith beliefs, status excetera.
Bribes the government: Drink some decaf
Lobbyists: No forbidden under the guidelines of 501(c)(3).
Persuade followers to vote rethuglican – No it uges Catholics to vote for candidates that best support Catholic beliefs regardless of party affiliation. But your right most Democrats support abortion, fetal stem cell research, euthanasia (actually) the party platform is silent on this issue but the ‘ol rethugicans condemn it, cloning and on an on. So if your looking to vote for the party of human rights…..it won’t be found in the Democratic party.
Supports rethug candidates: No, direct support is forbidden by 501(c)(3) but the Church is free to make people aware of candidates voting records and to point out beliefs that don’t comport with Catholocism.
Attacks other candidates. No, entering into the political arena to either support or condemn a politcal candidate is forbidden by 501(c)(3). But the Church is free to point to their record on specific issues, no foul here.
Cows Democrats into voting Anti-Abortion – Exactly how are they being cowed? Every see a 4D sonogram? Go to http://www.firstlooksonogram.com/ and check it out for yourself. The only thing cowing Democrats and everyone else about abortion is the advance in science proving that what’s in the belly is a baby not a mass of inert jelly….
Vacuums up public education money – Say what? Exactly where do Catholics benefit from any sort of public education money…..tsk tsk…ain’t happenin!
Hackworth….you don’t think people are a’watchin the Church. If they could find a way to strip the Church of it’s tax exempt status it would have already been done. Based on this alone your post is simply simple.
I just love facts….they are so hard to deal with them when you are on the wrong side of them.
Political lobbyists (who also work as Roman Catholic bishops in Washington state) just wrote and urged every Catholic to help them lobby state legislators to oppress LGBT people, their families, and their defenseless children.
These lobbyist bishops claim — incorrectly — that expanding marriage rights to cover all citizens would “ignore heterosexual couples” and “undermine family life” and “discontinue the human race.”
That is untrue. They are wrong. On all three counts.
I live in heavily Catholic New England, where same-sex marriages have flourished for nearly a decade in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and/or New York. No heterosexuals were ever ignored, no family lives were ever undermined, and we’re having more babies than ever. The 4 most notable changes after same-sex marriages began here in 2004 are: (1) divorce rates dropped, (2) business revenues grew, (3) LGBT people became healthier, and (4) children in LGBT families are better recognized and more fully protected.
Every nation and culture in history has had lesbian women, gay men, and LGBT couples, yet today, Earth and its inhabitants are dying from 7 billion people crowded onto one tiny planet. It is not LGBT couples who threaten the human race; it’s over-breeding by everyone else.
The Catholic bishops argue that if LGBT people benefit from equal marriage rights, then all other couples would suffer in some mysterious way. But that’s untrue. Multiple federal court cases already proved that no LGBT marriage ever hurt any heterosexual marriage. The harm that the bishops imagine does not exist.
By calling marriage nothing more than breeding, animal husbandry, and procreation, the bishops insult all of society (Catholics and non-Catholics), especially couples who choose not to have children, couples who can’t have children, couples who partner with surrogate parents, and couples who graciously benefit all of society by choosing to adopt.
The bishops’ claim that they “pray for married couples and families” is false. They pray only for some couples, and only for some families. But they pray against — and prey upon — all same-sex couples and all their children, including all the families who aren’t even Catholic.
Roman Catholic Church leaders think that oppressing LGBT people everywhere is more important than ending poverty, hunger, illness, and homelessness, yet they never disclose the tens of millions of dollars they secretly waste on anti-LGBT politics while children are dying.
Every Catholic churchgoer should demand an independent public audit showing all dollars spent on anti-LGBT propaganda, lobbyists, campaigns, and politicians. Then they should halt such efforts by refusing to fund them ever again.