The federal Equality Act threatens the common good

[little2add]

The bill is well-intentioned but ultimately misguided. The Equality Act discriminates against people of faith, threatens unborn life, and undermines the common good.  

The Equality Act:

• exempts itself from the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in an explicit and unprecedented departure from one of America’s founding principles, thereby infringing on religious freedom and making it more difficult for individuals to live out their faith
• forces religiously operated spaces and establishments, such as church halls, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their communities
• requires women to compete against men and boys in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower facilities with men and boys
• forces faith-based charities that serve all people to violate their religious beliefs, and threatens the welfare of thousands of beneficiaries of charitable services such as shelters and foster care agencies, by forcing a multitude of them to be shut down
• jeopardizes existing prohibitions on the use of federal taxpayer funds for abortion, likely pressuring or even mandating the performance of abortions by health care providers in violation of their consciences, and ultimately ending more human lives
• hinders quality health care, by forcing health care professionals, against their best medical judgment, to support treatments and procedures associated with “gender transition.” 

The Catholic Church has long taught that everyone deserves respect, compassion, and support, regardless of their affiliation. In truth, the “Equality Act” oversteps its stated intention under the guise of bringing about a more equal society. If passed, the “Equality Act” will discriminate against citizens and people of faith for their longstanding beliefs about marriage, sexuality, the nature of the human person, and the place of religion in society. As written, the legislation would encourage legal and social hostility toward religious persons and institutions, and would result in unjust changes to U.S. communities. 

What say you?

[fides' Jack]

Like many bills lately, the so-called "Equality Act" is named just about the opposite of what it really means.  Calling it the "Inequality Act" would be more accurate, but not well received.

That's the world we live in.

[fides' Jack]

I saw this today: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/the-respect-for-marriage-act-should-be-called-the-disrespect-for-marriage-act/?utm_source=top_news&utm_campaign=usa

We are delving into chaos.  Everything truthful is being turned upside-down.

[Didacus]

As all this madness continues, I can only believe that the end shall ultimately be a release.

[little2add]

Today is a good day unless you’re a turkey 

On 11/21/2022 at 6:01 PM, little2add said:

The bill is well-intentioned but ultimately misguided

[Didacus]

Well intentioned?...  I agree, the intent is very questionable.

Although many who would support such things are sincere in their benevolent beliefs, I dare say that some, if even many of the architects have quite malevolent intent.

[little2add]

 11/30/22

 

Respect for Marriage Act,  H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act

The “Respect for Marriage Act” is the latest example of the left’s outright lying. The bill, which would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, is a full-throated attack on the essence of marriage for thousands of years

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

WASHINGTON - On November 16, 2022, the United States Senate voted 62–37 to advance the Respect for Marriage Act.  In response, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, issued the following statement:

“It is deeply concerning that the U.S. Senate has voted to proceed toward potential passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would essentially codify the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell that found a constitutional right to same-sex civil marriages.

“The Catholic Church will always uphold the unique meaning of marriage as a lifelong, exclusive union of one man and one woman. In doing so, we are joined by millions of what the Obergefell Court called ‘reasonable and sincere’ Americans – both religious and secular – who share this time-honored understanding of the truth and beauty of marriage. 

“Senators promoting the Act have claimed that their amended bill ‘respects and protects Americans’ religious liberties,’ but the provisions of the Act that relate to religious liberty are insufficient.

“Obergefell created countless religious liberty conflicts, but the Act offers only limited protections. Those protections fail to resolve the main problem with the Act: in any context in which conflicts between religious beliefs and same-sex civil marriage arise, the Act will be used as evidence that religious believers must surrender to the state’s interest in recognizing same-sex civil marriages. Wedding cake bakers, faith-based adoption and foster care providers, religious employers seeking to maintain their faith identity, faith-based housing agencies – are all at greater risk of discrimination under this legislation.

“The bill is a bad deal for the many courageous Americans of faith and no faith who continue to believe and uphold the truth about marriage in the public square today. The Act does not strike a balance that appropriately respects our nation’s commitment to the fundamental right of religious liberty. Senators supporting the Act must reverse course and consider the consequences of passing an unnecessary law that fails to provide affirmative protections for the many Americans who hold this view of marriage as both true and foundational to the common good.”

 

[little2add]

 The Respect for Marriage Act is yet another in a long train of grossly misnamed pieces of legislation.

Doesn’t the Catholic sacrament of matrimony deserve respect?  

Respect for marriage act, in a pigs eye.

• Affordable Healthcare Act passed under President Obama which proved to be totally unaffordable.
• the Inflation Reduction Act that only created more inflation by dumping more trillions into the money supply
• The Patriot Act had nothing to do with patriotism and everything to do with allowing government snoopy without probable cause or a search warrant.
   

the impact of this bill will only contribute to the diminishment of the sacredness and integrity of marriage in our society.

The measure “would have a ripple effect that hurts religious freedom in every context where conflicts with same-sex marriage arise, not just in the context of compliance with RMA itself,” the analysis said.

“Employment decisions, employees’ spousal benefits, eligibility for grants or contracts, accreditation, tax exemptions — it runs the full gamut, even in religious liberty conflicts arising out of state or local laws,” it added.

“The amended act will put the ministries of the Catholic Church, people of faith and other Americans who uphold a traditional meaning of marriage at greater risk of government discrimination.

Edited December 5, 2022 by little2add

[little2add]

WASHINGTON – Ahead of the U.S. Senate’s Nov. 29 61-to-36 vote approving the Respect for Marriage Act, the chairmen of two U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees reiterated the bishops’ ” firm opposition” to the “misnamed” measurelegalizing same-sex marriage.

 

 

[little2add]

BTW: On December 8, the House agreed to the Senate amendment by a 258–169 vote, with one member voting present. 39 Republicans voted "yea". A strong majority of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage; interracial marriage is supported almost universally.

I don’t understand why “interracial marriage” needed to be included in this legislation? 
interracial marriage is not an issue.  Did you know , he’s controversial  Supreme Court Justice “ not a Clarence Thomas “ right now is in an interracial marriage.   

[fides' Jack]

The whole reason to include "interracial marriage" is to promote the false idea that conservatives, and really all white people are racists, which of course is a racist idea. 

Critical race theory is now law.

[little2add]

I’m not surprised 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-denounces-gop-states-limit-child-gender-surgeries-same-sex-marriage-bill-signing-ceremony

The president and first lady also invited to the ceremony "members of the LGBTQIA+ community, advocates and allies," including drag queens Cummings and Brita fiddler.

what tha fonze

[little2add]

Apparently, according to the current administration objecting to “ child gender surgery” and taxpayer funded abortion provided up until the moment of birth is a heinous hate crime.   
go figure 

Edited December 14, 2022 by little2add

[fides' Jack]

"Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done"

[little2add]

Over 53 years ago, interracial marriage in the United States has been fully legal in all U.S. states since the 1967 Supreme Court decision, Loving v. Virginia

On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, legalized it in all fifty states, and required states to honor out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses

The respect for marriage law changes nothing in regard to the status of interracial and same-sex marriage, NOTHING.

The so-called “respect for marriage act” is a attack on religious liberty, pure and simple.  

According to the Catholic Health Association, Catholic hospitals account for approximately 13 percent of all hospitals in the United States and deliver care to one in six patients hospitalized in the United States each year.

Under this new law, refusing to provide;  the  Catholic  sacrament of Matrimony to same-sex couples or gender affirmation surgery services to eligible adolescents and young adults Catholic affiliated hospitals and health centers may become illegal, by way of cutting off federal funding, etc.

PS: I don’t understand why interracial marriage was included in this new law, as I have never heard of this being a problem in the United States in the year 2022 (or in the last 50 years, for that matter?)

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by little2add