Watch closely the debate in New Hampshire over gay marriage. Though passage is likely, a recent vote on the measure failed in the House. Not because the state congressmen opposed gay marriage, but because the bill included a conscience clause that would have allowed clergy and religious organizations to refuse to participate in gay weddings. From Nation Digest -washingtonpost.com:
New Hampshire lawmakers voted Wednesday to reject a bill that would have made the state the sixth in the United States to authorize same-sex marriage.
The state’s Democratic-controlled House voted 188 to 186 against the bill, hours after its Senate approved the legislation 14 to 10 along party lines. An earlier version of the bill passed the lower chamber on March 26.
The legislature had been asked to approve language that would give legal protections, including the right to decline to marry gay couples, to clergy and others affiliated with religious organizations. That wording was added by Gov. John Lynch (D), who promised to sign the bill if those changes were made.
The House vote against the governor’s amendment means the bill will be sent to a committee that will try to resolve the differences between the two chambers.
State Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, a gay Republican from Manchester, said an earlier bill that did not provide protections to clerics or religious groups was the one that should have been passed, adding that the amended bill would allow discrimination to be written into state law.
The most recent word is that a House/Senate conference committee approved a version of the bill with the conscience clause included. So passage, along with the protections, is pretty much a done deal.
But note that some gay marriage supporters would rather NOT legalize gay marriage if it means that religious people can refuse to accept it. Since their agenda is complete social and moral approval of gay sex, they certainly cannot tolerate those who refuse to approve. Right now, pastors and churches are being told that the law will allow them to opt-out of performing weddings for same-sex couples. But once gay marriage is universally approved, how long do you think the conscience clauses will remain in the law?
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