For Churches That Won’t Perform Same-Sex Weddings, Insurance Begins to Look Iffy

NRO ^ | 07-08-2015 | David French

[NRx]

In the aftermath of Obergefell v. Hodges, pastors and church members are experiencing a wave of anxiety over what many of them deem the “nightmare scenario”: lawsuits or government action designed to force them to perform or recognize same-sex marriages. While there are — so far — no meaningful judicial precedents that would permit such dramatic interference with churches’ core First Amendment rights, lawsuits challenging church liberties are inevitable.

Indeed, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has declared that prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity “sometimes” apply to churches and has stated that a “church service open to the public” is not a “bona fide religious purpose” that would limit application of the law. In 2012 a New Jersey administrative-law judge ruled that a religious organization “closely associated with the United Methodist Church” wrongly denied access to its facilities for a same-sex wedding.

Churches, like virtually every functioning corporation, protect against liability risks and the potentially ruinous costs of litigation through liability insurance. With same-sex marriage now recognized as a constitutional right — and with news of Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries awarding a lesbian couple $135,000 in damages for “emotional, mental and physical suffering” after a Christian bakery refused to bake their wedding cake — pastors are reaching out to insurance companies to make sure they’re covered. And at least one insurer has responded with a preemptory denial: no coverage if a church is sued for refusing to perform a same-sex wedding.

[ravenwolf]

I do not see that the church will be doing any great thing by refusing to go against Gods will if they have the insurance companies to bail them out.

I do not believe that is the way God separates his people from the people of the world.

If worst comes to worst which it probably will the Churches are going to go along with the world or they will have to go underground.

And if we can not see it now we will surly be able to see it when that happens and it is this,

Revelation 18:
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

[BlackAdderess]

I wonder how much can be done to limit liability with Series LLCs?

[AppyPappy]

My pastor once did a wedding for a couple where one was a Unitarian. His only requirement was that he couldn’t pray in Jesus name.

He failed.

[heye2monn]

I thought only black churches were flammable.