Kengor_Catholic_Forcing Churches to Conduct Gay Marriage_081213
On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court dealing a severe blow to marriage, President Obama stepped forward to assure us he won’t force churches to conduct gay marriages.
“On an issue as sensitive as this,” said Obama, “knowing that Americans hold a wide range of views based on deeply held beliefs, maintaining our nation’s commitment to religious freedom is … vital. How religious institutions define and consecrate marriage has always been up to those institutions. Nothing about this decision … changes that.”
Gee, how gracious of our president.
Funny, but I didn’t know it was within the purview of the president to even begin to countenance forcing churches to conduct gay marriages. I’ve spent 30 years studying, getting a PhD in, and teaching and writing about political science, public policy, American government, and the Constitution. I don’t ever recall the president having that unique power to begin with.
It’s quite revealing that Barack Obama would even consider the mere thought.
Speaking of which, forgive me, Mr. President, if I’m not comforted by your words. This, after all, is the president of the HHS mandate—no champion of religious freedom. Quite the contrary, no president has been worse on religious freedom.
But Obama’s promise is largely irrelevant anyway. First off, Obama wouldn’t get the opportunity to be able to force churches to do gay marriages in the next four years, nor would he need to. Instead, his “progressive” disciples will do the job. That’s the next once-unimaginable level to which they will assuredly progress. They will do so in whatever way is necessary—legislatively, through the IRS, through the media, through Hollywood, through Facebook and Twitter, through bullying, through ridicule, through demonization of churches and denominations. Whatever it takes.
Barack Obama doesn’t need to force churches to conduct gay marriages. His liberal/progressive disciples—in the name of tolerance and freedom—will force them for him. Some churches will acquiesce. Others will not. The Roman Catholic Church will not.
And so, as a Catholic, be prepared for a long period of demonization.
For Catholic Exchange dot com and Ave Maria Radio, I’m Paul Kengor.
image: shutterstock
