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House Considers Shielding Churches After Marriage Ruling
October 4, 2015
With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that same-sex marriage is legal across the country, a Florida House panel next week will take up a bill that seeks to shield churches and clergy members if they refuse to perform marriages that violate their beliefs.
The House Civil Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday is scheduled to take up the measure (HB 43), sponsored by Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, and Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs. Under the proposal, clergy members, churches and religious organizations would not be required to perform marriages or provide related services “if such an action would cause the church, organization, or individual to violate a sincerely held religious belief of the entity or individual.”
The proposal would provide a shield from criminal or civil liability and also would provide protections for religious organizations’ tax exemptions, government contracts, grants and licenses.
Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, has filed an identical bill (SB 110) in the Senate. But critics say the proposals are unnecessary, as ministers can already refuse to marry gay couples.
In July, Nadine Smith, executive director of the advocacy group Equality Florida, called the issue an “ugly show of animosity toward gay people.”
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
21 Responses to “House Considers Shielding Churches After Marriage Ruling”
I believe ppl should have the right to live their lives as they see fit and what makes them happy. If two gay ppl want to join together, its their lives/live and let live. However, I don’t think a person should be forced to marry these two ppl if it goes against their religious beliefs. There are so many churches that do not have a problem with joining two ppl who want to spend the rest of their lives together as one. Why would you want to have someone join you in a union, who does not believe in your union as a gay couple?
What people don’t seem to understand, God is holy, he is going to judge man by HIS standards not MANS standards. Man thinks he can carry GOD on his shoulders, or place him on a mantle, or take him down and treat him like a jenie in a bottle. God will not be mocked. Somehow the Lord is going to hold us accountable for this!!!
It’s a shame that so many people use God’s name as a crutch for their prejudice. Truly, disappointing to hear the things some of you leave on here. I would like to point out that every single individual ever used by God in the bible had their own sins. The constitution does not specify anything about gay rights, because there is no such thing as gay rights, they’re just rights. Its doubtful that anyone who is gay would come to North Escambia just to get married in one of your churches. I wonder if the churches will be turning away gluttonous individuals, people previously divorced, anyone who works on the sabbath…etc. Probably not, because its evident that bible verses are cherry picked to hide the bigotry.
Lou ~ Show me in the Constitution where gays have specified rights. . . . I won’t wait for an answer because you won’t find it there. All you will spout off is how the SCOTUS said such and such. Now, moving along, show me where religion is protected by the Constitution. (I’ll give you a little hint: it’s called the First Amendment.)
Argue whatever you will, but Rhode Island had a good reason for DEMANDING a Bill of Rights before they’d adopt the Constitution, and I’m glad they did.
REGARDING:
” try to force everyone to accept it and churches to marry them. ~ ~ ~ So why is it a problem that Christians don’t want to marry them because it’s against their religion!?”
.
You’re starting from a false belief that someone is trying to force churches to perform marriages of any sort. They aren’t. One lady was jailed for contempt of court ~ not even for refusing to give out marriage licenses ~ but because she insisted she would forbid those under her from doing so.
It is a bit like going to work at a bar and not only refusing to serve booze but not allowing others to do it either. Drinking liquor is bad but forcing others to abstain is worse.
David for better jobs
Gregory Boyd wrote:
“I thought the Supreme Court decided they must. How about hold your religious beliefs aside”
Umm…No. The left in this country can try and legislate it’s unnatural and unequal (can gay “marriage” produce children? Nope!) im-morals on the rest of us, but no law…or supreme court ruling…will dictate what we the people will believe or not believe, nor inhibit the free exercise thereof.
If you really think religious beliefs should be set aside so willy-nilly, then please excuse yourself from the USA and try life in North Korea or Saudi Arabia. Here, in the USA, we have freedom to practice our religious beliefs PUBLICLY. And you have choices of where you can go to have your ‘marriage’ done. If one pastor/preist/etc won’t do it, go down the road to one who will. That’s called TOLERANCE. It’s a two way street.
The gay agenda is enjoying it’s day in the sun. It won’t last forever, and it’s extremely foolish to keep harrassing and persecuting the largest group of Americans- the silent conservative, religious middle class. One law could change things for gay folks. And Christians provoked are Christians Strong.
Peace.
Therightway
Anything even remotely satanic should be kept out of our churches.
@Ms
There’s more to life than just reproducing. What about heterosexual couples who decide to never have children, are they not good enough to be married? You seem to live in a very black/white world and have an inability to see any gray. It’s not your place or mine to tell someone what should make them happy.
Even if you don’t believe in Jesus or not a Christian it seems pretty obvious that homosexuality isn’t okay. Look at animals for ex. They have sexual organs for reproduction as do humans. Why would we be given reproduction organs if being homosexual is the right way? Then they pass a law that legally allows gays to marry and try to force everyone to accept it and churches to marry them. But when I attend school years back students of different religion weren’t forced to say the pledge of allegiance but there was nothing wrong with that. So why is it a problem that Christians don’t want to marry them because it’s against their religion!? I need someone to explain to me cause im not grasping some of you guy’s opinions!
@James – Because God IS merciful and does not wish for any to perish. He is giving all a chance to repent and accept Jesus as savior. The subject here is gay marriage, but it’s the same penalty for any sin – death. One sin is just as bad as another.
I think where the divide comes in is that there is a scripture in James that says “To him who knows to do right and does it not – to him it is sin”. James 4:17 is the scripture reference.
If all are truly to keep their first amendment rights to free practice of religion, then they should be able to refuse to perform gay marriages. Does this mean gay people are hated? No of course not. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Hopefully this has made sense to you.
REGARDING:
“I also wonder why God mentioned marriage right before he destroyed the earth by flood the first time, may they tried to redefine it.”
GENESIS 6
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Matthew 4:38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
I won’t burn anyone at the stake for disagreeing, but to me it is saying it was a day just like any other, with no omens indicating it would be the last day on earth alive.
People eat, they drink, they live their lives ~~ until they don’t.
The reason given in Genesis cites violence as what so offended Him.
David for better people, fewer offences
Honest answer to your “honest question”…when God brings judgement on the WORLD it will be for the world rejecting His will. He won’t strike ALL until all have chosen to rebel against Him. We have elected the officials that made sin the law of the land. Therefore, WE have chosen. maybe the only thing standing between us and His final judgement is some “backwards” country that still believes that God’s law is supreme over man’s.
Kate,
I agree with you, but for a different reason. Free exercise of religion is protected by the 1st Amendment, which is probably the most sacred amendment to the Constitution. I can’t see even the Supreme Court trying to force churches to violate their own tenets. Besides, there is the Metropolitan Community church that would marry those folks.
It amazes me that people claim a Constitutional right to defy God then want to legitimize their actions in God’s house!
If God intended to destroy the world over same sex marriage why hasn’t be done so in other countries when it’s been legal there far longer than the United States? Honest question seeking an honest answer.
As the one Senator said, it is nu-necessary.
The Supreme Court ruling effects government officials.
@kate, I sincerely disagree with you, it’s Gods grace and mercy that he does not destroy us ‘right now’ and contrary to what you say it is often Gods judgement that brings a people to repentance, but then some people get so bad he outright destroys them. I also wonder why God mentioned marriage right before he destroyed the earth by flood the first time, may they tried to redefine it.
It’s funny to see these people get so worked up and panicked over something that won’t affect them one iota.
Nadine Smith is right. This is just another move by the right to make christians a favored and protected group. Next will be a move to make their religion the official religion of the US. Wait you say, that’s a violation of the constitution. Allowing religious groups to ignore US law is also a violation of the constitution.
Can Florida House and Senate actually do something that isn’t voter and money driven. Most of the crazy legislation is stricken by the Supreme Court as this bill will also be stricken. Its an attitude of grace and forgiveness that brings people to God not judgement, not harsh words and not legislation meant to score points instead of Souls.
I thought the Supreme Court decided they must. How about hold your religious beliefs aside