Marriage Equality Works

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“One of the most dominant myths used by forces opposed to marriage equality is that allowing same-sex couples to marry would somehow negatively affect religious institutions or apply restrictions to their freedom to worship as they choose.

Although this myth is patently false, that has not stopped some opponents from using the claim to lead people to believe their religious freedom is in danger.

In states like California, opponents of marriage equality have asserted that passing such a law would do everything from requiring churches to marry same-sex couples against their will to subjecting them to a loss of their tax-exempt status if the institution or congregation chooses not to marry same-sex couples. Whether these objections are motivated by sincere concern, a desire to fear-monger or a decision to engage in willful misinformation is hard to say.

As the debate around a marriage equality law here in New York heats up, we can expect similar claims to be made. Even with language in the most recent marriage equality legislation stating that “no clergyman, minister or Society for Ethical Culture leader shall be required to solemnize any marriage,” some will contend that the power of the state will be used to compel churches to conduct and bless marriages against their will, make them subject to lawsuits or challenges to their tax-exempt status or otherwise force religious life to bend to the will of the government.

Fortunately, in New York, we do not need to speculate on how religious institutions, spiritual life and the freedom to worship will be affected if the state passes a law allowing same-sex couples to marry. New York needs only to look to our neighbor to the east, Massachusetts - where marriages for same-sex couple have been legal since 2004 - to see that the worries about such a law negatively impacting people of faith have been unfounded.

As demonstrated in the following seven interviews with ministers and religious leaders of a number of different faiths - some which marry same-sex couples and some which do not - religious life in Massachusetts in the five years since the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples has continued just as it did before. Congregations are making decisions about whether to marry same-sex couples based upon the policy requirements of their denominations and, when there is flexibility locally, the prevailing views of clergy together with their congregants.”