That's the thing about freedom of religious belief, Mike. Everyone gets to have it. Not all faiths believe as you do.

Christ Himself was silent on the topic. Perhaps you should take your clue from Him and do likewise.

Meanwhile, keeping His 'Do unto others as YOU would have THEM do unto YOU' dictum in mind ("the SUM of the laws and the prophets"), how would you feel if others were to call YOUR beliefs 'conservative claptrap'?

Have a nice lifestyle.

"What the Bible forbids is acts of lust, rape, idolatry, violation of religious purity obligations, or pederasty, but no condemnation of homosexuality in relationships of mutual respect and love. "On the other hand, the Bible pointedly celebrates instances of same-sex emotional intimacy, a fact often overlooked by fearful homophobic readers."
James B. Nelson, Professor of Christian Ethics, United Theological Seminary

"Several books already exist attempting to demonstrate that the Christian Bible does not, in fact, condemn consenting-adult homosexuality. But "God is Not a Homophobe" has a unique perspective in that the author has a lifetime of experience in pastoring hard-core fundamentalist churches. His former bitter opposition to all forms of homosexuality has given way to a rational, unbiased acceptance that the Bible says hardly anything about homosexuality, and what it does say cannot honestly be used to condemn consenting same-sex unions."
"
God is not a Homophobe: An unbiased look at Homosexuality in the Bible" by Philo Thelos

"The New Testament and Homosexuality" Robin Scroggs, Prof of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary is a serious theologian and is favorable reviewed by many theologians. He is a happily married heterosexual with no personal bias. He includes cites from Boswell and expands further especially on pederasty and concludes there is nothing biblically wrong with homosexuality.

"What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality" by Daniel Helminiask, PH.D., was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1967 and is incardinated in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. From 1981-1985 was Assoc Prof for Systematic Theology at Oblate School of Theology and earlier completed his Ph.D. in systematic theology at Boston College and Andover Newton Theological School. He concludes the Bible says absolutely nothing about homosexuality being sinful when you examine the actual Hebrew/Greek texts."

Baptist Rev Dr. William R. Stayton, Divinity degree from Andover
Newtown Theological School and on faculty of LaSalle University's Grad program in Religious studies: - "There is nothing in the Bible regarding homosexual orientation. In fact, the Bible does not concern itself with sexual orientation. It does speak against gang rape, male prostitution for religious purposes, and pederasty. I lead bible study programs on this subject and am convinced that the Bible does not address the issue of a person's sexual orientation."

Jeez,
I reached the Narragansett-SouthKingstown Patch because the Stow Ohio Patch ran an article that Dan Johnson, a paid Nappa Valley California Gay-Rights Advocate commented on. Guess Patch is a truely LOCAL source of opinion.

Polls for decades have shown majority support for gay people in the military. Support for marriage equality has passed 50% for over a year now. While fundamental rights should never depend on popular opinion of the majority, most now support full equal right for gay people.

Demonization is dehumanization.

Both are harmful. Many religious scholars, leaders, and believers reject interpretations of those few verses used to justify ignoring the Golden Rule.

Your vision is severely clouded by your prejudices. Of course you know more than 2 Divinity schools. If 100% of the country were Catholic, you still wouldn't reach 99% concensus with your Pope's views. Catholics are about 1/3 of the population and many American Catholics I know do not support you hateful rhetoric toward homosexuals. Perhaps you should look up your church's history of conquest, Inquisitions and other forms of atrocities against non believers. You should especially revel in burning nonbelievers and heretics to death.
You don't have to live in City of Minneapolis, Portland, or Santa Monica. Since the majority people born after 1980 overwhelmingly disagree with your views there will be few places where you can be happy. How sad you are.

"the work of the devil." is your quote. Clearly, that fulfills the definition of demonization, and stigmatization.

Statements like these cause harm and justify causing harm.

Your arguments rely on emotional terminology alone. They fail to provide any legitimate governmental interest sufficient for denial of equal treatment under the law as promised in the founding documents and required by the constitution.

Dan Johnson... Let me help you with your comprehension of this issue. Homosexual marriages are indeed "the work of the devil," as Pope Francis accurately and succinctly stated.

Homosexuals themselves are not demonized, as everyone is a child of God. Promoting and encouraging homosexual lifestyles, though, is a grave sin.

Over half of the Catholics in the US disagree with the Popes demonization of same sex couples who choose to marry.

Your belief marriage is a sin is your belief. Your judgement and condemnation cause real harm to real people.

Dan Johnson: The only "harm" being done is by self-righteous, smug liberals who seem to promote homosexuality as a lifestyle. In fact, homosexuality is associated with depression, anger, and feelings of worthlessness. To advocate homosexual marriage is to encourage the homosexual lifestyle, and the very deep problems homosexuals are burdened with.

No Mike. It is the prejudice and discrimination you promote that is associated with depression, anger, and feelings of worthlessness.

Denial of equal treatment under the law is a clear message of being judged as worth less. Laws and social support systems that deny equal treatment, stigmatize and dehumanize. Telling people their love is the work of the devil, is demonizing. Condemnation by those who claim to speak for God, results in feelings of worthlessness for those who believe it, and anger in those who reject such harmful judgement.

It should be no surprise some who believe the prejudice you promote, suffer stress which leads some to self destruction, either fast or slow, if they don't seek help. The surprise is that so many do so well despite the harmful prejudice promoted in the law and by some but not all religious leaders and believers.

Sexual orientation is not a lifestyle. Nor is it a choice. Treating gay people equally under the law will not result in straight people turning gay.

Admittedly, more gay and bisexual people will stop hiding and lying about their sexual orientation as legal and social punishment for doing so is removed. But it will not "promote" any sexual orientation.

Marriage however, is a lifestyle choice. We know marriage has a stabilizing effect on relationships. It provides 1,138 federal rights and protections in addition to the hundreds of state protections.

Encouraging gay people to get married will not result in more people becoming gay. It will however help reduce the stress that results from denial of those legal rights, as well as the stress that results from the stigmatization of discrimination.

Equal treatment under the law will not result in the loss of any rights for opposite sex couples. They gain nothing by denial of equal treatment, while same sex couples are harmed needlessly.

Prejudice and discrimination cause harm in a wide variety of ways:

"The research, published in the January Pediatrics (Vol. 123, No. 1), found that LGB adults who reported high rates of parental rejection in their teens were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to have had unprotected sex than LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection, reports the study team, headed by Caitlin Ryan, PhD, of San Francisco State University.

"Because families play such a critical role in child and adolescent development, it is not surprising that adverse, punitive and traumatic reactions from parents and caregivers would have such a negative influence on [young people's] risk behaviors and health status as young adults," the authors write.

Preliminary results are promising: "We've seen that families can grow and become more supportive once they've learned how their words, actions and behaviors affect their LGBT children," she says."

Another, "Eisenberg and Resnick (2004) found that family connectedness, caring adults, and school safety serve as protective factors from suicide for LGB individuals."

It is regrettable you continue to teach there is something wrong with homosexuality, and try to connect it to child abuse. It appears you are not yet fully aware of the harm that results from the irrational prejudice you promote.

Children will not choose to be gay or straight. Sexual orientation is not a choice. The only confusion results in those who are gay or bisexual and who are taught that being gay or bisexual is "wrong" and they should be punished for who they are.

There is nothing wrong with encouraging children to wait until they are responsible adults to express their sexuality, and important to inform them of the health risks involved in sexual contact and how to avoid as well as minimize those risks. But teaching that only a heterosexual orientation is acceptable, is unrealistic and harmful.

Again, you rely on pejorative terminology and fear mongering.

Wrong again Mike B.

The AMA long ago recognized the science and agrees with all other mainstream medical and mental health organizations in the country that being gay is a natural expression of human love and bonding for a minority of the population.

It was only considered an illness from 1952 at the height of the anti-gay McCarthy era, until 1973, when science finally won out over religious and political prejudice.

Sexual orientation is not learned, though understanding of it requires learning. Understanding that heterosexual, bi-sexual, and homosexual orientations are within the range of normal human experience, will not result in anyone changing their orientation.

So called "reparative therapy" is not successful, and is even harmful.

Because it relies on heavy doses of shame and guilt, it often results in self destructive behavior including suicide, for those who believe the false information being promoted.

Even Allen Chambers, founder and leader of the "exodus international" group that promoted "rp", admits it does not result in change of orientation, though some can change their behavior to conform with the guilt and social control system "rp" requires.

And still you rely on pejorative terminology and unsupportable fear mongering.

"Depression and anxiety are common, understandable reactions to societal prejudice, religious condemnation, employment discrimination, and familial rejection." (APA)

"Because of the aggressive promotion of efforts to change sexual orientation through therapy, a number of medical, health, and mental health professional organizations have issued public statements about the dangers of this approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be “cured.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises youth that counseling may be helpful for you if you feel confused about your sexual identity. Avoid any treatments that claim to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation, or treatment ideas that see homosexuality as a sickness."

From : Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth, from the American Academy of Pediatrics

There are some young people who have indeed been brainwashed. There was a good TV interview with a conservative pastor who accurately described how certain denominations, e.g. Episcopalians, ECLA, U.C.C., have been taken over by the far-left. The "good thing" is that these ultra-liberal denominations are rapidly losing members.

Thank goodness, most young people think for themselves and have a good, nurturing home environment, and react with horror - as does 90% of the population- at the futile effort to legalize sham "gay" marriages.

Brainwashed?

That's pretty hard to do without isolation and sleep deprivation, and often accomplished when tied with magical thinking.

A recent poll showed a majority of Catholics in America support equal legal treatment of same sex marriages.

Yet others want to use their religious beliefs to control and harm others by refusing to follow the Golden Rule.

"Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings."
--Richard Dawkins

Dan Johnson- You continually cite various "polls" in a futile attempt to give a modicum of validity to your specious arguments. But of course there is no sourcing for these "polls," other than your taking it on the "authority" of Rachel Maddow and her fellow leftist, secular humanist travellers.

Mike B is now getting down to his Joe McCarthy persona, except McCarthy at his drunkest moment could spell "traveler." if you disagree with Mike B you must all be pinko commies! If you can't make a cogent argument start calling people names. That always get the preadolescent vote.

I agree., Edith. The more they type their outlandish lies, the more thinking, reasoning people see them as such and turn towards supporting equality.

So, I too hope and pray that they keep it up. It actually helps the cause of equal rights.

The last refuge of a person unable to put forth a reasonable argument is to label someone a "bigot" or "racist." You have "succeeded" in that regard, "Edith."

As a self-righteous, smug liberal all I have to say is, keep it up, mike b.

You neglect to back up your claim to be "like most people", Mike.

Which is why you are not believed.

Mike B. You revert to reliance on pejorative terminology, after admitting above, it is the refuge of those with no argument on the merits.

You continue to demonstrate you have no argument by trying to link marriage equality to abortion. The two are very different laws and issues.

Marriage equality is about treating same sex marriages equally under the laws currently in effect.

The abortion debate is about how to restrict that right for everyone. Even if you are arguing only married opposite sex couples should be allowed to get an abortion, it is still an entirely different issue.

And again, most people support equal rights for gay people, including treating their marriages equally.

No, Mike, again, it is because all of your arguments rely on pejorative terminology, false information, and unsupportable fear of the future.

I understand that is all you have. I can't blame you for that.

My only concern is your desire use the law to impose your prejudice.
That results in real harm to real people.

No matter what you or others may like to call it, your desire to use the law to deny to others the rights you expect for yourself, fulfills the definition of prejudice.

No matter what your motivation, the prejudice you promote results in needless suffering and real harm to real people, here and around the world.

MIke B, if the label fits wear it. You are definitly a negative person and your statements are generally negative. Remember, Jesus of Nazareth was considered one of the liberals/leftists/activists by the Romans and temple priests. You can compliment me by calling me a liberal/activist anytime.

Re: "Archbishop Nienstadt is a hero to every Catholic for his stance against the evil of "gay" marriage".

"every Catholic"???

Sorry, but that's just laughable. You are mistaken. According to the ABC/Washington Post poll of March 18, 2013, 59% of Catholics support equal marriage. (You could look this up.)

Still waiting to hear how loving committed, consenting, adult, human relationships are "evil".

And if you don't see the Bishops' comments about gay people as "vile" and "filth", then you're just biased.

Mike S.

You have highlighted the real agenda of so-called "gay" marriage:
a personal, blatant attack on the Catholic Archbishop Nienstadt and the Roman Catholic Church.

The media and left wingers have no compunction about attacking Catholics, as your hateful post so clearly demonstrates.

The Catholic Church is a strong bulwark against such society evils as abortion and gay marriage, and thus is a convenient target for those on the left.

Pointing out the history of the debate with the Archbishop's role is not Anti-Catholic. Did he not spend thousands of dollars on a CD mailed to the homes of my Catholic friends? I have a copy if you missed it. Did I not read and hear his opinion on the issue in the left wing Startribune and the Fox 9 news? Did Catholic priests not testify before legislative hearings on marriage? My Catholic friends and I agree that the Catholic Church should determine marriage rules for Catholics. They and I disagree with him on placing church doctrine into civil law in violation the seperation of church and state. That founding concept also protects the Catholic Church from government interference. Your insistance that we all follow Catholic Doctrine on marriage hurts people I care deeply about including Catholic friends. I disagree with the Archbiship's actions. I did not attack him or the Roman Catholic Church or your right to believe waht you believe.

Mike B,

Maybe if the Catholic Church and her Bishops would stop attacking gay citizens, then maybe, just maybe, gay people and their supporters wouldn't 'attack' back.

Loving committed, consenting, adult, human relationships are NOT "evil".

Mike S. Many gay activists have disrupted Catholic masses across the country, defiled the Catholic Eucharist, and have blasphemed the Holy Family in profane ways. Many of these vile "gay pride" marches feature such fifth against the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church is the one institution that the left sees as a convenient target

Archbishop Nienstadt is a hero to every Catholic for his stance against the evil of "gay" marriage (and it is evil). And if you know someone who claims to be Catholic who is pro-abortion and pro- "gay" marriage, that person is not following Catholic teaching, and would no doubt feel more at home in one of the "fringe" churches, such as the Unitarians or the U.C.C.

It was the Catholic and Mormon churches that organized and funded the hateful law that took marriage equality away from gay people with prop 8. They spend millions trying to harm gay people by refusing to treat them as they would themselves under the law, here and around the world.

People wouldn't be "attacking" the church if it had not been attacking them for decades.

While the "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" mock the Church and the harm it promotes, they also raise money to help fight homelessness, poverty, and other causes the church neglects while wasting money trying to stigmatize and marginalize gay people.

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:17: This is my command: Love each other.

Matthew 7:1: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Luke 6:37: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Romans 2-1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.