Gay Marriage Legislation Faces Last Minute Opposition By Clergy

Because Governor Cuomo's proposed same sex marriage legislation is a single tantalizing vote away from affording all residents in the Empire State equal protection under the law, opponents of the bill are scrambling to mount a last gasp appeal of what they believe is an affront to the "institution" of marriage. Yesterday saw "nearly a hundred" clergy at "A Rally For Traditional Marriage" in front of City Hall organized by the City Action Coalition. The CAC's leader, Bishop Joseph Mattera, warned SILive of the "large percentage of people in New York City and state who are very uncomfortable with the concept of gay marriage." Most uncomfortable of all may be Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who wrote in his blog that "God, not Albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago." Was that before or after He settled whether the earth revolved around the sun?

Dolan, who has said that abortion, not gay rights, is the "premier civil rights issue of our day," continues sounding like a bigoted Andy Rooney, writing, "Last time I consulted an atlas, it is clear we are living in New York, in the United States of America—not in China, or North Korea." Yeah and in America we publish Gay & Lesbian Atlases, so maybe he should orient himself accordingly. He goes on to say that by denying the definition of marriage as "the union of a man and woman," the lawmakers are "claiming the power to change what is not into what is." Sort of like transubstantiation, but bad.

Washing the bad taste of these opponents away are politicians like state senator Roy McDonald, who changed his "No" vote against similar legislation from two years ago. McDonald tells the Post "As a father, as a grandfather, you try to do the right thing. Now, you may not like that. Fuck it. I don't care what you think. I'm trying to do the right thing."

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By Christopher Robbins in News on June 15, 2011 3:39 PM

Comments [rss]

Richard

Now that gay marriage is legal here in new york why not plural marriage. It should be legal.

Wayne

I find no constitutional escape from enforcing the equal protection clause, such as "except where the bible,torah or quran provide otherwise." Enforcement of the equal protection clause is ABSOLUTE and does not depend on the wishes of any clergy. If they wish to graft religious interpretation onto the Constitution, their remedy is to take the next plane to Tehran,

The_Liann

Maybe if they could get married there would be fewer catholic bishops with their woody up the altarboys bums.

Who cares what catholic perverts think?

STOP THE ABOMINATION OF THE MARRIAGE OF CHURCH AND STATE!

Dan

Religion is the root cause of so many conflicts and holds too much power in this country (what happened to separation of church and state?). Marriage is a LEGAL status. If two people want to get married just let them already.

Also, pass a bill to tax these businesses like they should be.

Google Santorum

I heard PaulaNYC died in prison after being convicted of child molestation. Twice.

robingee

I heard PaulaNYC is now at least 3 different people! SybilNYC!

TheOtherBob

I'm really glad Tim Dolan agrees that marriage is about the church, not the state. Oh, but one teeny-tiny, itty-bitty little thing... My church? Totally fine with gay marriage. Want to enter a same sex partnership? Hey, as long as you're both devoted to God, the church will marry you right there in front of the alter. God, as we understand him, is fine with it.

So then what's the problem? God (as we understand him) is fine with gay marriage. What the hell's the state doing getting in the way?

Oh -- I see. It's that YOUR religion -- your denomination, actually -- doesn't agree with our denomination. And you think your denomination should have your religious views enshrined in civil law -- rather than just opening it up to allow anyone's views. Yeah. Ok.

As my Lord and personal savior Jesus Christ would say, "that's fucked up, brother."

tonyjones

Any Church that allows gays to marry is going against the teachings of the Bible and is therefore nothing more than a club.

TheOtherBob

Nonsense. You're picking and choosing the parts of the bible you want to follow -- and have fixated on this one for some reason.

The game you're playing -- "more fundamentalist than thou" -- is one that can be won, yes. Many of the world's...best countries...are all about that. But it's sort of like a contest to see who can suck the most ass.

You can? Well, congratulations, I guess.

(Though...actually I take that back, since you're trolling so hard your back-fat is sweating.)

Mordicai

Right like-- the only people who can even make these sorts of fundamentalist claims are hardcore Hasidic Jews-- you know, actually following the stuff in Deuteronomy about not mixing fabrics, or not cutting special parts of your hair, or not eating lobster or pork-- you know, the same place it talks about not being gay. Eating bacon is the same thing as hooking up with a guy, but for some reason people are fixated on the latter.

JKomar

Churches that allow same sex couples to marry are following the true message of Christ. Only churches who have turned their backs on Christ discriminate based on ignorance and hate.

tonyjones

Really. How absolutely twisted. When Christ said turn the other cheek he wasn't referencing your bottom.

robingee

hee hee... "bottom"

JKomar

Christ said to love one another, but he didn't mean grown men and children. Funny how the RC Church missed that one.

Mordicai

Uh, I've read the Bible. I'm pretty sure "One Man & One Woman" is not in there. "One Man & Multiple Women & Also Their Maids & Also If His Brother Dies His Women & Also Maybe a Little Rape" is in there though.

robingee

Can we get THAT law passed?!? Praise Jesus!

JKomar

Why is the Roman Catholic church trying to influence government and civil laws? Many of us don't believe in the nonsense the Roman Catholic church is trying to ram down everyone's throat. My ancestors came to this country to get AWAY from the tyranny of the RC church and now we have to fight them in this country. It's time the RC Church took care of all the criminal acts within their own church and stay out of civil government. We don't want them!

tonyjones

Because the wants of the few will effect those of majority. If we normalize this deviance, then it is forced to be taught to children then forced to be taught in Catholic schools. No where has any state voted this in, all has come from the bench. Why? To destroy the moral authority of the Church, any church and replace it with the State.

And the crimes of the RC Church was 90% plus homosexual. How do you answer to that?

JKomar

Who in their right mind would let a child go any where near an RC church? The fact is, molestation was against both girls and boys as evidence by the thousands of lawsuits. Anyone defending them is a degenerate.

tonyjones

Mostly late teenage boys with young men who were gay and went to hide in the seminary. Nothing like you state at all. Except for some who wanted to get some cash by claiming repressed memories.

No question the Church lost the PR war, but your perception is not reality.