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Gay Marriage Continues To Rile New York Religious Leaders
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 26, 2011
Modified Jun 26, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 26, 2011
Modified Jun 26, 2011
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Not everyone is happy that a large swath of New Yorkers are now given the same rights and privileges as everyone else. Now the Catholic church, which is usually totally cool about leaving people alone and letting them live their lives, is holding a grudge against Governor Cuomo and his colleagues for helping push the "ruinous legislation" along. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio who oversees a Brooklyn diocese released a statement following the passage of the bill asking "all Catholic schools to refuse any distinctions or honors bestowed upon them by the governor," and any state legislators who voted "Yes."
DiMarzio told the Daily News that the marriage equality act "is a further erosion of the real understanding of marriage. The state should not be concerned about regulation affection," which would be true if he were referring to the infamous "Hug Tax Act" of 1983. In an opinion article for the paper, DiMarzio writes that same-sex marriage is "destructive because we fail to view marriage in the context of a vocation: a calling to participate in…forming the next generation. Marriage is reduced to an empty honor." And in his statement, DiMarzio complained that proponents of the bill "have demonized people of faith…and identified them as bigots and prejudiced." Hmm, certitude in the superiority of your beliefs over others': nope, no bigotry there.
Most telling is the fact that the NYCLU and other supporters of the legislation approved of the last minute exemptions for religious organizations, that allows them to refuse to perform same-sex marriages without fear of lawsuit or reprisals by the state. NYCLU's executive director told the Times that the exemptions respect "the right of clergy, churches, and religious organizations to decide for themselves which marriages they will or will not solemnize."
Tagged
catholicism
catholics
equal protection under the law
gay marriage
same sex marriage
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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