Catholic Church announces it will knowingly violate D.C. law

[cali]

By Jordan Buie THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The Archdiocese of Washington said Thursday that it will not extend benefits to same-sex married couples employed in Catholic schools -- a pre-emptive defiance of a bill expected to coast through the D.C. Council by the end of the year.

"If this law is passed, we will have to break the law before we give up our religion," said archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Gibbs.

A bill pending in the D.C. Council would allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the District. Currently, the District recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

The church operates 21 schools in the District, attended by 6,400 students. Ms. Gibbs said the archdiocese is aware that it would be open to legal liability for not complying with city law.

"The challenge in the District is that we could be at risk for litigation for not providing these services," she said.

She said none of the organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church will offer benefits to same-sex married couples.

<snip>

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/13/catholic-schools-to-buck-city-bill/

[Bluebear]

1. 'before we give up our religion' - Yes, Susan, you twit, that's what you are being asked to do.

Idiots.

[cali]

2. Fine the fuckers. Big, big fines.

[Warpy]

3. Oh, just TAX THE BASTARDS

By their constant interference in civil politics, they've been begging for it for years.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. Immediate solution is fine them for every infraction.

Long term solution is to revoke their tax exempt status.

[Vincardog]

4. I read the Bible. No where does it say anything about teh gay anyway.

WTF are these people thinking. What would Jesus do?
He would heal the sick and treat EVERYONE fairly.

[Angry Dragon]

11. They think preserving the church is more important

I will pose three questions to you. I just posed this question on another thread.

Where is the anti-christ suppose to come out of that churches are so free to bandy about??

Where is this church located??

I have noticed the word teh posted many place. Is this suppose to refer to a four letter word??

[MadMaddie]

22. If I rember correctly "teh" was on a poster some years back

from the other side.....

[LeftHander]

5. I guess that opens the door....

"DENY your HOMOSEXUALITY, REPENT and LIVE!!!"

[Bozita]

6. They should have been that principled during the run-up to the Iraq war.

[closeupready]

7. Oh GAWD! Drop this MARTYR bullshit, puh-LEEZE!!!

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

8. That's why I had to give up that crap.

Catholicism is part of my culture, but hey, so was human sacrifice at one point. The world spins on.

[krispos42]

10. I'm sure they can pay the legal fines easily

Sell one Vatican masterpiece a year. No problem.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Other localities have a religeous expemtion, which is what the churches are asking for

Its more than just the Roman Catholics as well. As I understand it their insurance does not cover birth control or non-therapeutic abortion.

[dsc]

14. and what if their religion didn't abide interracial marriage

which say Bob Jones University didn't, should they have been able to refuse to give benefits to interracial couples?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Not sure that is a tennent in any major xtian faith

Not supporting the church position, just clarifying what it is, namely religious exemption.

[dsc]

18. The first amendment specifies neither major nor Christian

If you give them a religiously based exemption then you have to give it to any and all religions no matter the doctrine.

[TheWraith]

13. I hope they get sued for about a hundred million dollars.

And then the money is pumped directly into the DC public school system.

[Odin2005]

15. Oh fuck them for putting their primitive superstitions ahead of loyalty to country.

TAX THEM!!!

[Obamanaut]

16. "...we will have to break the law before we give up our religion..."

I think that boat already sailed, considering the number of cases of pedophilia and the associated cover-ups.

[Echo In Light]

19. WTF? "Breaking the law" *isn't* their religion already?

[glinda]

20. Start a new church. Who says you can't??????

[imdjh]

21. Wait until they try to sell us some BS on how the church subsidizes Cat-lick U and Georgetown

[KamaAina]

23. Wait a minute. Don't, like, a couple of dozen states have domestic partnership benefits?

Why hasn't the Catholic Church rebelled against any of them?

Or is the D.C. archbishop a Father Coughlin wannabe? :puke:

edit: even if they're "drawing the line at marriage", the first state to offer that on an equal basis was -- heavily Catholic Massachusetts.