In response to the filing on Friday of Washington’s civil marriage equality bill, the Washington State Catholic Conference issued a statement in opposition called “Marriage and the Common Good” (PDF).
The document is signed by the state’s four bishops (pictured below), including Archbishop of Seattle J. Peter Sartain who is also secretary-elect to the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops. With that authorship the reader might expect to find the arguments presented against marriage equality to be religious-based. That is not the case.
“Upholding the present definition of marriage does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs,” is the key sentence in the bishops’ statement. It constitutes a capitulation to the fact that a supermajority of American Catholics support marriage equality and have already rejected religious-based arguments for discrimination against their gay and lesbian friends and family members.
Full Story from Pam’s House Blend
Click here for gay wedding resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook. We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
