“I predict the next move will be to sue a Parish, or Diocese, for refusing to ‘marry’ a homosexual couple. In this regard, they’ll try to have the tax-exempt status removed, because the Church is denying someone something that is legal in that state; a civil marriage.”
I don’t know if it is the next thing. But it is no more ridiculous than telling someone in 1994 that by 2014 17+ states will have recognized ‘gay marriage’ and there will be several lawsuits against businesses who refused to recognize them for religious reasons.
The Church wasn’t punished for not accepting civil divorce and remarriage. But it definitely wasn’t framed as a civil right at the time like ‘gay marriage’ is now, at least that I am aware. On the other hand I don’t even know if anyone gets turned away from businesses or hiring for being civilly remarried, so maybe there was a lot less folks to complain when it did/does rarely happen?
“In my opinion, the Catholic Church in the US should stop being an agent of the State...”
That’s probably what is going to end up happening, either by trying to avoid punishment or as punishment for not accepting whatever impossibility the state is calling marriage at the time.
George Weigal wrote a little about it up here:
http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2012/11/the-crisis-of-a-second-obama-administration
Freegards
Try denying divorced, remarried people spouse coverage as a religious employer and try saying that again.
The Church isn't a registered religious organization, it's the people who hold to the doctrine.