Amazing Disgrace

Some of the most contentious political fights these days are being fought by political outsiders. At least they are supposed to be outsiders. I am referring to the church and by church I mean every religious group or institution.

In New York State the debate concerning same-sex marriage continues with the majority of law-makers seemingly in favor. The Governor has already stated that he would sign a bill into law allowing same sex marriages if it should ever reach his desk. One of the many vocal groups who oppose allowing law-abiding tax-paying citizens the same right that every other citizen has, the right to get married in New York State does not actually pay taxes to the state or to the Federal Government for that matter. They have tax exempt status as religious entities or churches.

Ruben Diaz, who not only happens to be a Democratic State Senator but also a minister in the Bronx calls same sex marriage a “disgrace.” Amazing! I find fact that Mr. Diaz was elected to office in a land where we have a fundamental belief in the separation of Church and State to be quite disturbing especially since his religious concerns obviously taint his every day decisions.

The same dilemma comes when we examine the debate between the two camps in the Roe V. Wade arena. The “Pro Choice” group is in favor of rational thought determining the fate and future of a pregnancy while the “No Choice” group states that every possible child must be born. There is no thought given to the well being of the mother or of the child for that matter. If the child is determined to be at great risk of being born with a life threatening disability the “No Choice” group still states there is no choice. Their feelings are religiously based in the belief that both mother and child are in Gods hands.

Aside from the fact that many misguided “No Choice” followers have taken to committing murder in order to allow a fetus to continue to term once again we see the Church meddling in State and Federal law. Blindly following a belief without regard to how it might affect others is what the world expects from religious fanatics such as Al Qaeda and other Jihadists. To think that the “No Choice” people are following that path should be a chilling wake up call to the FBI and law enforcement groups all across America.

Human beings cannot separate themselves from their heritage or their life experiences. We are conglomerates of ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ and as such we carry our beliefs with us everywhere we go. When one political party argues that a current Supreme Court justice nominee is no good because she has had “Latino experiences” they are showing their stupidity as well as their desperation. Naturally she had those experiences but can she separate right from wrong? Can she uphold the law and make judgments based on the law?

In 1776 our fore-fathers said we should not have taxation without representation. The converse must be true as well and citizens who eschew their tax obligations should find themselves facing penalties and jail time. Church leaders should try to work within our system if they wish to continue reaping the benefits of our free society. However if the Church wishes to get into the political game then they must start paying the price of that ticket, namely taxes! The cost is the same for all attendees wishing to have a seat and the IRS has all the forms needed for them to get a turn at bat. No umpire should be allowed to call balls and strikes from outside the park.

Tax and Love

The ongoing debate about gay marriage has passionate voices on both sides.

An open debate is a good thing. The problem with this debate however is that the leadership in government is listening to one side more than the other and the side that is getting their opinion heard should not even be a part of the discussion in the first place.

I am speaking about the church, and by that I mean all religious institutions not just the Catholic Church although they are the most vocal.

In America we were founded on many principles including the separation of church and state. We live by this separation to the drastic extent that churches pay no taxes. And since they produce no product that can be taxed they are for all intents and purposes outsiders.

On this day, April 15^th when there are protests about taxes going on around the country it should be evident that the taxpayer wants a stronger say in the use of his or her money. Taxpayers want to make sure that their voices are heard. (We are actually paying less taxes than we did under Bush and far less than they do in many European countries.) However if you don’t pay taxes in America then you should not be heard nor should you have a say in our government!

Naturally the Gay and Lesbian community are in favor of same sex marriage. The union of two people for the sake of peace and harmony should not harm anyone nor cause anyone to fear for their lives. It should be viewed as a statement of commitment between two taxpaying and law abiding citizens of this country. The church may not like this but until they pay their fair share of taxes they should do their grumbling in the sanctity of their tax free environment and leave the decisions to those of us living in the real world.

As for the argument often stated that gay marriage defiles the sanctity of marriage and threatens civilization I would point to the great civilizations of the past that flourished for centuries and upon which our modern world is based. These societies did not condemn love but in fact encouraged it as a motivator. They urged their citizens to do the right thing and protect their loved ones making no distinction between the sexes. They did not question the cause of the love or the legality of it but rather rejoiced in its wonder. And if you need to argue that same sex marriage threatens the sanctity of yours then I submit your marriage was not a strong union to begin with.

And if you are against love then isn’t it true that you espouse hate? Is that what the church wants? Because whether or not they want it hate is what they are creating. The so-called religious right attacks same sex marriage as unholy. I say that the intrusion of your beliefs into other people’s affairs is even more so. If you are religious and believe what the people of the Gay and Lesbian community are doing is wrong then let God decide their fate. Remember your religious teachings - "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord." Do not take his work into your own hands for that would be BLASPHEMY.