Finally a "pastor protection act" to keep preachers from being forced to marry same sex partners.

[NightWatcher]

http://m.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/exclusive-ralston-to-propose-pastor-protection-act/nmxML/

House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, wants state lawmakers next year to adopt a “pastor’s protection act” to ensure no church leader can be forced to perform a same-sex wedding.

I think before he introduces this he should have to show proof of a time where a clergy member was ever forced to marry anyone they did not wish to. Oh wait, this has never happened before. Dumbass has forgotten that not everyone gets married in a church by a minister.

[pinboy3niner]

1. Maybe there should be a law to protect homophobic pastors against immolating themselves

Texas pastor Rick Scarborough is willing to be burned to death to oppose gay marriage
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026870184

And a law establishing a minimum IQ requirement for pastors and elected officials.

[Initech]

2. That guy needs to be locked in a padded cell.

[Lyric]

3. Oh good! A law to protect clergy members

who perform same-sex weddings from being harassed by fundie assholes!

So far as I know, the only "pastors" who are suffering right now are the ones from liberal denominations who happily perform ALL weddings. Some of the ones here have received death threats. Sad, isn't it?

[Travis_0004]

4. I don't have a probelm with this

Pass the law, and take away one more right wing talking point against gay marriage.

[goldent]

8. I agree

The claim that "you don't need that law" just makes people suspicious. Just pass the law and move on.

[Solly Mack]

5. A solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

They just can't help themselves.

[Hekate]

6. They're not "forced to marry anyone" and never have been. The stupid, it burns.

This is what separation of church/temple/synagogue/sacred grove is all about. Inside your own house of worship and religious system, your elders/wise men/rabbis/priestesses get to make the rules, and within that system they get to decide under what circumstances anyone is permitted to marry. Anyone who disagrees is free to apply elsewhere, including the County courthouse.

Freaking stupid ignorant fundies think the whole world revolves around their limited worldview.

I doubt there's a single Jewish rabbi or Roman Catholic priest in this nation that is losing so much as a brief nap over the marriage issue. They are well-educated, have their own way of doing things, always have, always will, and secular society can just roll along. Whether I agree with them or they with me is besides the point. In my experience the Jews, especially, have had long practice in the distinction between their own religious laws and everyone else's. Catholics sometimes not as much, but you take my point.

Pastor protection act my rosy Irish ass.

[brer cat]

7. "Freaking stupid ignorant fundies think the whole world revolves around their limited worldview."

Sums it up nicely in one sentence.

[99Forever]

9. The fact that these assclowns can't find voter fraud...

... hasn't stopped them from passing draconian voter ID bullshit. SOP for scumbag bigots.

[Lint Head]

10. What kills me about idiots like this, who have no discernment and think in a simple minded ham

handed fashion, is that a pastor never has to ever marry anyone he or she does not feel comfortable marrying. Marriage is a 'civil' act. Not a religious one. It is religious in that it can be 'sanctioned' by a particular religion. Say Satanism. But a religion may reject a marriage. Freedom of Religion causes that to fall under this protection. Which does no harm to the legality of that marriage. But the legal certificate must reside at the 'secular' court house. People need this certificate to claim family health insurance or a spouse's Social Security and on and on. These things are 'secular' in a factual sense and a legal sense. It's a shame that most elected officials refuse to use a single brain cell to think it through. If in fact most politicians have two brain cells to rub together in the first place.

[Egnever]

11. Meat for the base

Yipeee!

[treestar]

12. Why have an unnecessary law

Because that would never happen. Oh right. It's just to get attention and play the victim.