{"id":44369,"date":"2013-05-07T00:37:42","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T07:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=44369"},"modified":"2014-12-29T23:15:03","modified_gmt":"2014-12-30T06:15:03","slug":"hey-delaware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2013\/05\/hey-delaware.html","title":{"rendered":"Hey Delaware!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

A reader writes:<\/p>\n

Like myself, many if not most of you have gay friends and relatives whom you love. You know that persons of homosexual orientation have suffered insults or worse at the hands of bigots. You, like me, want to see the animosity between the \u201cstraight\u201d and the \u201cLGBT\u201d communities resolved through means of justice, understanding, mutual respect as opposed to the frailties of human nature that stir us to anger and injustice.<\/p>\n

BUT\u2026 <\/strong>\u00a0re-defining marriage in order to accomodate \u201csame-sex marriage\u201d is not the answer. \u00a0Most Christian churches, and most especially the Catholic Church, teach that sexual activity belongs to the state of holy matrimony entered in to by a man and a woman for mutual salvation and the raising up of children. For purposes of equality, a civil union law was enacted in Delaware two years ago which extends the legal privileges of marriage to same-sex couples. The re-definition of marriage itself, which is the purpose of HB 75, is redundant.<\/p>\n

For the Catholic Church and other Christian churches, HB 75 opens up a can of worms that threatens the religious freedom of Christians in this country. Although churches are exempted from the requirement to hold same-sex marriages, Christian business men and women are not. They will, under this law, be required to offer wedding services to same-sex couples or face legal action for discrimination. Even the protections for churches will not hold for long against the legal assault to come. And here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

The proponents of same-sex marriage position this as a civil rights issue, like the ending of segregation in the 50\u2019s. However, the anti-segregation laws did not provide exceptions for churches<\/strong>. \u00a0Why not? Because the courts and legislators realized that if segregation was TRULY<\/strong> a violation of civil rights, then segregated churches were as much in violation of justice as segregated schools. If same-sex marriage is TRULY<\/strong> a civil rights issue, there should be no exception for churches. The fact that there is, argues two things: 1) that most folks realize it\u2019s not a true civil rights issue at heart and 2) that those who DO believe it is a true civil rights issue will never give up on removing the exception. Our religious liberties are at stake.<\/p>\n

HB 75 will be debated and most likely voted on today, Tuesday May 7. What can you do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Follow the link below for a step by step contact of your senator. You will enter information. \u00a0The program will then figure out who your senator is and let you phone or leave him or her a message:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.votervoice.net\/DEFPC\/Campaigns\/31813\/Respond#\/?page=user<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Come to Legislative Hall in Dover tomorrow by noon to make your presence known as the law is debated.<\/p>\n

Thank you for your consideration.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A reader writes: Like myself, many if not most of you have gay friends and relatives whom you love. You know that persons of homosexual orientation have suffered insults or worse at the hands of bigots. You, like me, want to see the animosity between the \u201cstraight\u201d and the \u201cLGBT\u201d communities resolved through means of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[22],"class_list":["post-44369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-psa"],"yoast_head":"\nHey Delaware!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A reader writes: Like myself, many if not most of you have gay friends and relatives whom you love. 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