Anti-gay marriage equality activits often site religious beliefs as a reason for their opposition. But what about when your belief as a religious leader leads you to support gay marriage equality. The advocate.com gives us some insight:
Bishop Melvin Talbert, who is officially retired, announced his support of gay and lesbian couples’ right to wed at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Tampa, Fla., in May. Talbert has since become the subject of a letter to the Council of Bishops from 70 clergy and lay leaders of the church who say Talbert’s gay support is a violation of the Book of Discipline, according to the United Methodist Reporter. The letter requests that the council issue a formal complaint against Talbert and recommends that other bishops be censured if they don’t denounce Talbert’s support for marriage equality.
If we shouldn’t punish those who are in opposition to gay marriage equality due to infringing on their religious freedom, shouldn’t we, also, not punish those who are in support? Is this argument really about religous freedom or is it about the fear that without a monolithic front, the position of opposition to gay marriage equality due to religous beliefs isn’t that strong?
