Journal #1 Saturday November 14..The Church Becomes More Aggressive

The Archdiocese of Washington DC has threatened to withdraw social services to the city if pro-same-sex-marriage laws are adopted.  As someone commented on the article by Eric Zorn in the Chicago Tribune, this is the peril of allowing government-funded faith-based initiatives.  Aside from that, it boggles the mind that the Church would use the needy as pawns in their political game.  The Church can operate as it likes within the church, as long as it observes the laws of the land, and so the Church (and ALL religious organizations receiving government money-- such a bad idea) should be stopped from using taxpayer funds to impose its moral precepts on the secular world.

As quoted in the Tribune article:

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it would be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District of Columbia if the city refused to change a proposed same-sex marriage law.

The threat could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and healthcare.

Under the legislation, which the City Council is expected to pass next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform or make space available for same-sex weddings. But they would have to obey laws* prohibiting discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Fearful that they could be forced, among other things, to extend employee benefits to same-sex married couples, church officials said they would have no choice but to abandon their contracts with the city.

*Welll..yes....render unto Caesar, and all that.....