YAKIMA, Wash. — Same-sex marriage “jeopardizes freedom rather than expands it,” and “endangers our religious liberty and the right of conscience,” according to Bishop Joseph Tyson, the Catholic bishop of Yakima, Wash.
Tyson’s remarks came in a recently released pastoral letter, where he delivered yet another apocalyptic denunciation of Referendum 74, the upcoming ballot initiative in Washington that will allow voters to approve or reject the state’s new marriage equality law.
Bishop Joseph Tyson
However, it was noted by pro same-sex marriage advocates that the prelate did not specify how these rights would be challenged by passage of the measure by Washington voters.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that the pro-Referendum 74 group, Catholics for Marriage Equality, delivered a sharp response to Tyson and his fellow bishops in the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Diocese of Spokane, who have issued letters and videos opposing marriage equality.
“We are shocked when we read the language and examples used by our bishops to incite fear in our Catholic brothers and sisters if Referendum 74 passes — the message of Jesus is love and compassion, not fear,” said Kirby Brown spokesman for Catholics for Marriage Equality Washington.
In statements regarding the issue, Tyson has called same-sex marriage “offensive to basic human rights and equality” and “a loss of civil rights and equality for the most vulnerable among us, children,”
“The terms ‘husband and wife’ and ‘father and mother’ will continue to recede as so-called gender-neutral terms overwhelm our public lexicon,” he warned.
Experts, political analysts and observers all agree that the debate over the issue of same-sex marriage has sharply divided the state’s faith community.
Episcopal Bishop Greg Rickel has endorsed Referendum 74 as a “conservative proposal” consistent with basic Christian teaching and the Christian life. Two prominent Methodist pastors in Seattle have endorsed marriage equality in campaign ads paid for by same-sex marriage advocates.
Catholics for Marriage Equality is asking its supporters to distribute a brochure that supports Referendum 74, entitled “Love Overcomes Fear” outside their churches, even as bishops’ letters are read inside.
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Religion is poison and unnatural.
Why are they so intolerant?
bullshit….fREEDOM to marry has NOTHING t o do wit hyour bigoted church
awww poor christian freaks are getting a little scared? So tell me freak how is it jeopardizes “religious” freedom?
WTF?
Really? Seriously? How about Catholics endangers little boys, and girls.
All I can say is seriously and wtf.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=183333161782067&set=a.183332641782119.38865.100003161539132&type=3&theater
Great photo Connie.
Willful ignorance and bigotry endanger all our liberties.
how does it endanger it?
Ironic. This post appears just below a post by The East Side Club on my screen.
Poor Stupid Man…
He should think before he speaks…some Bishops have endangered Childrens lives….
They used to say the same thing about…… Interracial marriages, ending slavery, teaching girls to read, allowing women to vote, birth control, ending prohibition, …… and that is all in the last 236 years…. funny, we are still free, more so than ever. If you really believe that OUR MARRIAGE took something away from you… I would love to hear EXACTLY what it was. SPECIFICALLY. No nonsense answers like the vague suggestion that something intangible is different. I will give you the same respect and will tell you just why this is critical to secure our freedoms for the next 200 years.
the same way that the child rape scandal DOESN’T endanger the Church?
Add me anyone and everyone! :) thanks
The leading cause of divorce is heterosexual marriage.
Christian Extremist are the most dangerous then think in society today
Who died and made people God?? No man has the right to judge another because of who they love. Don’t gays and lesbians have the right to love another?? Besides, I bet alot of hetros do things in thier bedroom that is very questionable in *Gods* eyes.
no more than catholic bishops do, perhaps even much less
More blah, blah, blah….
And religion endangers my freedom!
It’s jerks like this guy who endanger religious liberty!
But yet they don’t pay taxes
you know where this guy’s religious liberty comes from? the bastardization of language, of conquest and bloodshed. Which in my mind is much more dangerous than two people sharing home and hearth together.
My husband and I were married in our church by clergy. So how is it religious freedom to tell our open and affirming church that they can’t marry same gender couples?
Poppy Cock!!
“Celibate closet homosexual lectures committed gay couples on the nature and value of marriage”
Here’s the deal. We won’t tell you how to worship, and you won’t tell us how to marry!
Ya, “endangers religious liberties” because my partner and i being married will stop you from getting your fat azzes on your own knees praying for your OWN sins and sorry azzes! leave me the freak alone and hate all u want but it’s pretty pathetic to use “god” as your tool to preach your hate and ignorances against other humans!
Bullshit. I know a lot of gays and lesbians who found a different kind of faith. Catholicism isn’t the only answer.
No is endangers Religious MONOPOLY!
well hey, there’s plenty other religions out there.
and your colleagues molesting little boys doesn’t endanger anyone *snark*. Who are you to say anything? Your opinions are irrelevant
And catholic bishops endanger children.
Your A BIGOT AND FULL OF CRAP BISHOP!
are you fucking kidding me and stupid can you get
I imagine raping children really boosts that liberty doesn
it
Their afraid they will run out of people to hate. Then what purpose will they have? They will be forced to look at themselves. They are afraid.
No Catholic Church having sex with little boys is what screwing up it up!! It is also ran by a REAL Nazi !!! Who cam take this church serious? Or any church for that matter? God knows I’ve tried.
Why, because some of the priests and bishops may want to marry each other?
They say homosexuality is a sin. When its consensual. While no one ever said pedophilia is a sin. And you have all those things happening with catholic priests molesting children. Did the pope even condemn them? Didnt the pope try to cover it up? I dont remember…
people being able to live their lives according to them without fear of persecution or legal discrimination has always affected religious liberties. thats why we live in the united states of england.
The catholic church is a threat to all other religions and sects that disagree with catholic teaching and it’s all coming from Rome, not from within the U.S.A.
Religious zealots endanger religious freedom
the EQUAL Rights Trumps religion… Pretty Simple… gay PEOPLE Pay Taxes CHURCHES DO NOT. Neither Corporations NOR Churches are People. HUMAN AMERICAN RIGHTS FIRST.
You know, for such a small segment of society, gays can sure shake a lot of foundations. Why does it matter what other people in their pursuit of happiness? If it is loving and uplifting of the people involved, how can it have any negative effect on anyone else? Unless, of course, the person being effected is a bigot and wishes to keep the people in this small segment of society beat down and relegated to second class status. Not a very loving or Christian attitude, if you ask me.
Only god can judge the hate that spews out of some peoples mouths.how much better are we if we are doing the same thing? Feel sorry for them for they know not what they do. Being hateful back is just as bad
Apparently, so does heterosexual marriage, Bp. Celibate.