If same sex marriage is legalized no church or religious institution will have to recognise or perform a marriage that they do not approve. Unless of course they want to keep their tax-exempt status. That would be a problem. Church leaders do not want to have their morality dictated by the American public. Understandable, I don't let the American public dictate my morality. But I pay taxes. Church fathers would have to choose between "moral superiority" and "free money". They do all the time but they don't like having to make their choice a matter of public record.
This is the difficulty you get into when as an organization you accept large sums of money from outside sources. In this case millions from the U. S. government, actually from the general public. Pretty soon that outside source is going to start dictating to you. And you will be dependant on the money, totally unable to refuse. Happens all the time. It happened to PBS when they started taking millions from Mobil Oil. What was once the voice of the public is now just another soulless, gutless, money grubbing, advertising driven TV network wholly controlled by the giant corporations that they suckle from.
Jesus said "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." Or you can get into bed with Caesar and be his whore.
Religion is about belief. Belief in a god or other metaphysical philosophy. So churches should not get a pass from the IRS. For the government to give religious institutions tax exemptions they have to define religion. They have to define what it means to "believe". Is that the job of government? And for a church to take the tax exemption is for them to let the IRS dictate morality.
I am in a heterosexual marriage and we take our two exemptions.
OWL
April 29 2007
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2 comments:
I actually think that religious organizations will be able to continue to bless whatever marriages they please, without fear of losing their tax-exempt status, once marriage equality is established.
Take the current situation. A member of the clergy can refer to marry an interfaith couple, even though there's never been a law against that.
John,
Religious organizations may or may not have to recognise same sex unions to keep the tax free status. It is the fear of losing it driving a lot of their protest. Although it is a similar situation with interfaith couples, people in mixed marriges are not veiwed as an opressed minortity. Did you read my other blog entry about marriage and its meaning it todays society?
OWL
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