As gay rights advocates intensify their campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, the bulk of their money is coming from an unexpected source: a group of conservative financiers and wealthy donors to the Republican Party, most of whom are known for bankrolling right-leaning candidates and causes.Read the rest here.
Their behind-the-scenes financial support — about $1 million in donations, delivered in recent weeks to a new coalition of gay rights organizations — could alter the political calculus of Albany lawmakers, especially the Republican state senators in whose hands the fate of gay marriage rests.
The donors represent some of New York’s wealthiest and most politically active figures and include Paul E. Singer, a hedge fund manager and top-tier Republican donor, as well as two other financiers, Steven A. Cohen and Clifford S. Asness.
The fighting will continue, but the war is lost. Public opinion is swinging sharply on this subject. Churches had better prepare for the next phase which will be coercive government policies and active discrimination against those religious bodies that attempt to uphold traditional moral values.
Years ago I warned, to generally dismissive comments, that this was a losing battle and the only sensible course of action would be to get the government out of the marriage business altogether. Make everyone who wants their particular domestic arrangements recognized by the state get a Civil Union performed in a courthouse. Remove the term "marriage" entirely from the law books, and leave marriage to churches and synagogues.
I think it's too late now. The other side smells victory and will never go for it.
6 comments:
Agreed on the civil union thing - even if this weren't an issue it'd make more sense given the context of life in the USA.
The State has never been in the marriage business, at least not the relationships that the Church has accepted as marriages. Married Orthodox have had to have been married in Church, not in the courthouse.
I've had essentially the same idea for years;you're the first Christian I've encountered to say the same thing.
I also see dark days ahead, but I have hope. I remember listening to an Eastern European Catholic talk about how invincible Communism seemed even up to the Eighties, but it fell apart like a house of cards. In comparison to the strong, substantial (though wrong) ideology of Marxism, the gay rights movement appeared flimsy and (in his opinion) would not remain in power for long.
Watch current events the UK for a preview of the next phase of the struggle. Pay attention to what is done to the Catholic Church, as they are the primary target. The Orthodox churches aren't even on the radar yet, but that could change.
Steve
I think if the larger Christian community (Evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox) would switch gears and advocate for civil unions for everyone, it could buy us some time and cool the fires of criticism leveled at conservative Christian communities about how they "discriminate." (I'm not saying the criticism is warranted or appropriate).
If the government gets out of the marriage business and the church stops arguing about who can form a civil partnership, leave property, make medical decisions, we can have a few minutes peace before the real war begins. (To be clear, I am not arguing for the morality of same-sex unions.)
There is no 'getting government out' of the marriage business. Governments simply recognize certain unions as legitimate after-the-fact because of the laws on its books which govern family relations, probate, property, etc. Thus, government perforce must make a policy choice as to which unions it will recognize as legitimate. Since atheism is the modern ideal of government, there is really no good reason for it not to recognize homosexual unions as valid marriages.
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