Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke said Thursday that churches and other religious institutions that oppose same-sex marriage should lose their tax-exempt status, taking the Democratic presidential debate into uncharted — and controversial — territory.This isn't just virtue signaling. I think O'Rourke is trying to gin up hatred of LGBTs among evangelical churches. A bit late for that? No. I have attended churches that are more fundamentalist than with which I feel intellectually comfortable for more than 40 years now. I have heard one sermon attacking homosexuality. Generally, evangelicals regard homosexuality as equivalent to adultery, fornication, racial hatred, greed, lust, gluttony, gossiping, and all the rest of the sins prohibited in the New Testament. The only difference is that there are no Adulterer Pride parades, no lawsuits demanding cakes be baked celebrating greed, no demands that the grossly overweight (5'11', 400 pounds) be given the benefit of antidiscrimination laws.
My guess is that most LGBTs in America do not care that some churches and faith-based institutions disapprove of their preferences. But if enough churches get upset about this discriminatory change in status to provoke real anger, the LGBT activists who care passionately about suppressing disapproval will manage to radicalize the LGBTs that simply want to be left alone.
I think ALL churches should lose their tax-exempt status....
ReplyDeleteBut until that happens, Beta doesn't get to pick and choose. That pesky First Amendment to the Constitution...