Protect objectors to gay marriage

Imagine my surprise to read that marriage equality will have zero impact on religious freedom.

Of course, that is Mr. Louis S. Guagenti’s opinion in his letter to the editor of Sept. 25. I respectfully differ.

Same-sex marriage is a creation of the state. Man/woman marriage is an organic institution arising spontaneously from society.

Government policy must respect those who stand for marriage as a union of a man and a woman, even in jurisdictions that have redefined marriage. There are a growing number of incidents in which the government has ruled that the First Amendment does not protect those beliefs.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has recently ruled that the First Amendment does not protect a photographer’s right to say no in taking pictures of a same-sex marriage, even though doing so would violate the photographer’s religious convictions.

In Illinois, Catholic and Christian adoption services have been forced to close because they object to placing children in same-sex households. SB 10, the Equality in Marriage bill in Illinois, if passed will provide no religious liberty protection for businesses, churches and citizens.

If there really is total religious freedom in same-sex marriage, why do we have two bills pending in Congress to protect religious freedom. HR 3133, titled Marriage and Religious Freedom Act, prevents adverse treatment of any person on the basis of views held in respect to marriage. The other is HR 940, the Health Care Conscience Rights Act, which amends Obamacare to protect conscience rights and religious liberty.

Policy should prohibit the government from discriminating against any political group based on their religious beliefs that marriage is a union of a man and a woman. Policy should prohibit the government from discriminating in tax policy, employment, licensing, accreditations or contracting against such groups and individuals.

Bonnie Quirke

Libertyville