ALBANY, N.Y. (EWTN News/CNA) — New York state senators did not reach a conclusion about homosexual “marriage” as the Senate met before its summer recess on June 20.
“Every day that goes by and the bill does not pass is a good day, (but) we are realistic enough to know that this is a very serious danger,” said Dennis Poust, New York
Catholic Conference director of communications in a June 20 interview with EWTN News.
The issue was delayed along with other topics, including rent control and property tax in New York, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Conference is doing its best to convince senators that the homosexual “marriage” bill is not a good idea for New York.
“It will likely be extended a couple of days. We will probably know what happens no later than Wednesday or Thursday,” Poust predicted.
He believes that the bill is being “rammed through the Legislature for political reasons,” a move that he described as the “ultimate in bad governing.”
“There has been no public hearing, no public input of any kind. It’s being rammed through — this radical, social change.”
The bill could be harmful for the Republicans as well, even “politically suicidal.”
Poust said that his office is “desperately trying” to tell Republican senators that people from their party define marriage “as it has always been known.”
While senators discussed the issue, dozens of citizens gathered in the New York state Senate building to protest and pray against the legalization of same-sex “marriage.” Many of the protesters carried signs and recited chants, led by Baptist ministers and Jewish clergy.
Poust said that New Yorkers can call their state senators and “plead with them not to undertake this radical social experiment.”
“It’s too late for writing; it’s too late for anything much other than calling and prayer.”
A large number of people from the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish communities are taking part in this call to prayer, he added.
At the same time, same-sex “marriage” supporters were also present at the Senate, led by the Empire State Pride Agenda.
On June 14, Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented the “Marriage Equality Act” to the state Legislature after a key Republican senator voiced support for it. Four Democrats who previously voted against same-sex “marriage” said on June 13 that they would support the bill.
But Poust remains hopeful that marriage would not be redefined by New York: “We know nothing is impossible with God.”
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live and love your brothers and sisters. accept them for who they are. God will judge us. Lets live through him and love one another. Follow his word and do not judge. IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT!
Live and let live! Do unto others! All things my partner and I were taught during our Catholic upbringing. I have not sinned by falling in love. We have also paid our taxes and our dues for 36 years as a couple. We deserve to be treated equally to our brothers and sisters. And, the Church does wrong not only to not recognize our partnership but to try to keep it from being legalized in NY. Don’t worry, we will not ask for a Catholic ceremony…..I doubt I will darken the doors of a church ever again.
The Catholic arguments against marriage equality are the same arguments that slave-drivers used to defend slavery:
• “My deity exists (yours doesn’t).”
• “My religion is supreme (yours is immaterial).”
• “My bible says so (your bible doesn’t matter).”
• “The nation’s laws must follow my religious sect (because I said so).”
But America is a democracy, not a theocracy. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and freedom from religion.
The Catholic deity isn’t the only deity, Catholicism isn’t the only religion, and the Catholic bible isn’t in everyone’s bedroom.
Any Catholic who would use religion to oppress others should move from America (a democracy) to Iran (a theocracy). Then, when Iranian teens go on dates frowned upon by Catholics, go and watch them get publicly whipped — and then executed — by their own government. (“Violence Against Sexual Minorities in Iran,” Human Rights Watch, 29 December 2010, 108 pages.)
I am a (primary voting) Republican, a practicing Catholic and I support marriage equality.
Every issue makes its way through a legislative body for “political reasons.” Politics is the activity of the polis. If the people of NY see it fit to extend rights and responsibilities of marriage to same sex couples, then what’s the problem? “Oh, they’re only doing it for political reasons…” Yeah, well, dah! Legislators are in the state house for that very reason!
Furthermore, marriage has not always beens known in only one way. Just ask Moses. Marriage changed as more was revealed to mankind through Jesus. I think Jesus is revealing more to us now… He never said anything about same sex couples or marriage, just divorce.
“But America is a democracy, not a theocracy.”
Even if I were to agree with you about your characterization of American values, I would not agree that opposition to homosexual “marriage” is only justified based on religious grounds; such opposition is also supported by reason.
Homosexual behavior is destructive to the participants and to society. Homosexuals have much higher rates of interpersonal maladjustment, depression, conduct disorder, domestic violence, anxiety, and dependency on psychiatric care than heterosexuals. The suicide rate for homosexuals is much higher than for homosexuals, and that rate has remained steady even though society has become more accepting of homosexuals. Homosexuals also abuse drugs and alcohol at a rate far greater than heterosexuals.
Homosexuals are more promiscuous than heterosexuals, which of course means that they (mostly male homosexuals) are more prone to STDs, not to mention anal cancer. Indeed, the life expectancy of a male homosexual is drastically shorter than a male heterosexual.
All the facts seem to suggest that homosexuality is a mental illness. These people need help, not societal support for an unhealthy lifestyle.
Marriage is for procreation. By allowing homosexual “marriage,” you are definitively separating the procreative function of marriage from the unitive nature of marriage. Therefore, society will no longer see marriage and a stable home environment as a necessary precursor for raising children. The effects will be more illegitimacy, more cohabitation, and less societal stability.
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