Group Warns of Dangers to Religious Freedom for Ireland

As Ireland seems on the brink of legalizing gay marriage tomorrow, a group called "Friends of Ireland" is warning about the dangers such a move would be to religious freedom.

The group "Friends of Ireland" released a letter cautioning the Irish concerning what they called "the potential dangers to religious freedom" in the majority Catholic country if the country voted to change the definition of marriage.

The signatories, which include Fr. Shenan J. Boquet, the President of Human Life International, John Aidan Byrne, the president of Irish Pro-Life USA, Philip F. Lawler, Editor of Catholic World News, as well as John-Henry Westin, the Editor-in-Chief of LifeSiteNews.com among others, warn that changing the definition of marriage here in America "has produced serious and troubling consequences for religious freedom in America, including limitations on free speech, discrimination against Catholics and other religious believers, and state sponsored coercion, characterized by harshly punitive measures against Christians and others who refuse to violate their consciences in this matter."

They pointed to instances of photographers, bakers, and florists among others being sued and/or fined by government agencies for refusing to take part in a gay marriage ceremony. Even the Solicitor General of the United States admitted that Christian institutions such as schools and charities could lose their tax exempt status for refusing to recognize gay marriages. And children attending public schools will be told that marriages between people of the same sex are equal to traditional marriages.

"For three decades now, homosexual activists have portrayed themselves as victims of intolerance who are only seeking to end discrimination and achieve equality. The reality is very different," the group says. "Wherever the homosexual agenda has prevailed, homosexual activists have sought to use the authority of the law, the power of the government, and the money of the taxpayers to censor, silence, coerce, and punish religious believers who criticize, oppose or resist them."

Polling indicates that Ireland may very well vote to redefine marriage although polling on issues such as this can be misleading. Take a moment today and pray that Ireland makes the right decision tomorrow.