Early Morning Inspiration
I've thought of something that could mess up Bush's whole marriage amendment.
All it takes is one new religion.
Now hear me out. This does make a weird kind of sense. The Constitution forbids Congress from passing any laws abridging religion. And judges are no freer to limit religion than Congress is. Or the states.
What we need is a new religion in which ritualized homosexual unions are legal. And heterosexual ones too, of course. (I have to toss that one in there, because I'm straight, and I'd hate to not be allowed to join my own church.) There's actually precedent--Amerindian churches out West often use peyote in church rituals--and peyote is an illegal drug pretty much anywhere else. But because it's used in religion, the states wink at the otherwise-illegal status.
We need a good name for this church. I suggest the Reformed Catholic Church of Stonewall. Reform is what this is all about. Catholic, with a small C, means "of interest or use to all; universal; all-embracing." Now, is there really a better word than that?
The Stonewallist Church will have its own holy book (or books--I think that books would be better), which will not mention one word about evil rituals--much to the chagrin of its opponents--but will say a great many pithy and intelligent things about mercy, compassion, justice and tolerance.
Writing independent commentaries on the words in the holy books and why you think that they are right or wrong is to be encouraged. We do not want to make books our idols, and we do want to encourage people to think. Thought is such a rare commodity these days. We will also stress the importance of education, particularly in a world in which leaders are so often bigoted and ignorant.
Stonewallist ministers will be anyone who wants to be ordained. We will urge them to marry their significant others, however, whether they are straight or gay.
Stonewallists will be extraordinarily respectful toward the law while embracing peaceful civil disobedience. This will make the church look good and will drive the administration crazy.
Believers may need to found their own separate state. (Hey, it worked for the Mormons.)
So. Anyone feel like founding this?
All it takes is one new religion.
Now hear me out. This does make a weird kind of sense. The Constitution forbids Congress from passing any laws abridging religion. And judges are no freer to limit religion than Congress is. Or the states.
What we need is a new religion in which ritualized homosexual unions are legal. And heterosexual ones too, of course. (I have to toss that one in there, because I'm straight, and I'd hate to not be allowed to join my own church.) There's actually precedent--Amerindian churches out West often use peyote in church rituals--and peyote is an illegal drug pretty much anywhere else. But because it's used in religion, the states wink at the otherwise-illegal status.
We need a good name for this church. I suggest the Reformed Catholic Church of Stonewall. Reform is what this is all about. Catholic, with a small C, means "of interest or use to all; universal; all-embracing." Now, is there really a better word than that?
The Stonewallist Church will have its own holy book (or books--I think that books would be better), which will not mention one word about evil rituals--much to the chagrin of its opponents--but will say a great many pithy and intelligent things about mercy, compassion, justice and tolerance.
Writing independent commentaries on the words in the holy books and why you think that they are right or wrong is to be encouraged. We do not want to make books our idols, and we do want to encourage people to think. Thought is such a rare commodity these days. We will also stress the importance of education, particularly in a world in which leaders are so often bigoted and ignorant.
Stonewallist ministers will be anyone who wants to be ordained. We will urge them to marry their significant others, however, whether they are straight or gay.
Stonewallists will be extraordinarily respectful toward the law while embracing peaceful civil disobedience. This will make the church look good and will drive the administration crazy.
Believers may need to found their own separate state. (Hey, it worked for the Mormons.)
So. Anyone feel like founding this?