From
USA Today a few days ago:
The
Oval
David
Jackson, USA TODAY 7:21 a.m. EDT September 28, 2015
President
Obama says he respects religious liberty, but it cannot be used to
deny marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples who are entitled to
them.
"We
affirm that we cherish our religious freedom and are profoundly
respectful of religious traditions," Obama said at a Democratic
National Committee LGBT gala Sunday in New York City.
"But,"
he added, "we also have to say clearly that our religious
freedom doesn't grant us the freedom to deny our fellow Americans
their constitutional rights."
Obama
appeared to reference the case of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county
clerk who refused to issue gay marriage licenses, saying it violated
her faith.
A
federal judge had Davis jailed for several days because of her
actions in defiance of the June decision by the Supreme Court
sanctioning same-sex unions.
In
his remarks Sunday to donors, Obama said gay marriage supporters
should understand that the change "has been a whirlwind"
for many Americans, and that there remains some "unease."
The president said, "it's important for us to recognize that
there are still parts of the country that are getting there, but it's
going to take some time."
But
that doesn't mean people can use religion to deny people their
rights, Obama added -- and political candidates shouldn't encourage
them.
"Even
as we are respectful and accommodating genuine concerns and interests
of religious institutions, we need to reject politicians who are
supporting new forms of discrimination as a way to scare up votes,"
Obama said. "That's not how we move America forward."
Oh
Lord, this makes my head hurt. Do you see? Religious Freedom isn't
considered a constitutional right by these people, but gay marriage
and abortion are. How do you even relate to someone so disconnected from reality?
And
this is rich. Didn't he say, back in 2009, something about unifying
the country and not being the president of this part or that part but
of the whole country?
Except
for those "parts of the country" who aren't with the
program yet. And there is no alternative but to get on the
Progressive bus. There is no room for deviation from the received
truth of the Progressive Gnostics. "there are still parts of the
country that are getting there," "there." Obama cannot conceive of valid opposing views.
Tolerance
of opposing views to him means shutting down bakeries and
bankrupting families simply because their faith conflicts with his
vision. "it's going to take some time." he says.
The
First Amendment, according to Obama, reads: "The Federal
bureaucracy shall be respectful and accommodating to the genuine
concerns and interests of religious institutions."
A
little bit different from James Madison's version, to be sure. And
wholly disconnected with the actual life of faith to which a truly
religious person attempts to live.
Oh,
and by the way, we do need to reject politicians who are supporting
new forms of discrimination as a way to scare up votes. Politicians like him and
almost every other Democrat who voted for the Affordable
Care Act. The law that empowered the Secretary of HHS to force religious
organizations, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, to pay for
abortions and contraceptives. The people who supported SSM and are cheering; as
religious people, colleges, and other organizations are buffeted with
legal challenges for trying to live and work according to their
faith.
I'm
sure he is hopeful that his party will continue in power until the
Catholic Church, the Baptist Convention, faithful Christians, and
those other 'parts of the country' 'get there' or are crushed.
Thefederalist.com carried
an opinion piece that is worth a read.
"Saying
government can tax religious organizations affirms the sovereignty of
state over church."
Obama said that religious faith shouldn’t trump
civil rights. He has it upside down, of course. But I doubt if he could
see it any other way. He already assumes, I’m sure – as does
Niose and others – that the state is sovereign over everything within its
unlimited purview, including churches.
Which
was fought against overwhelming odds, but with faith in God.
But
which the Christians ultimately prevailed, by God's grace.
