Here's What Supreme Court Says about Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom

Christianity Today ^ | 06/26/2015 | Morgan Lee and Jeremy Webber

[aimhigh]

Same-sex marriage bans are no longer legal in America, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 today. So the question becomes: How will gay rights and religious rights be balanced?

Here's what the justices said in today's majority opinion and four dissents.

Many quotes follow
"Many who deem same-sex marriage to be wrong reach that conclusion based on decent and honorable religious or philosophical premises," said Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority in Obergefell v. Hodges, "and neither they nor their beliefs are disparaged here."

"It must be emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned," writes Kennedy.

"The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered."

In dissent, Chief Justice John Roberts writes:
The majority’s decision imposing same-sex marriage cannot, of course, create any such accommodations. The majority graciously suggests that religious believers may continue to “advocate” and “teach” their views of marriage. The First Amendment guarantees, however, the freedom to “exercise” religion. Ominously, that is not a word the majority uses.

[ClearCase_guy]

Polygamy by year’s end. There is nothing to stop it and Sharia law wants it.

[aimhigh]

Polygamy by year’s end.

It was interesting how often the decision used the word, 'couple, and phrase, 'two people'.

[ConjunctionJunction]

The whole point of their activism is the destruction of marriage and the marginalization/subversion/destruction of Christianity. That is their ultimate goal.