Catholic Bishops attack domestic partnerships in WA

Washington state recently passed a law with a generous domestic partnership benefits, like those in marriage. And as we've discussed, It's under attack.

Now, you may recall that in Prop8, the proponents argued that it wasn't the benefits that they were after, but the word "marriage". Yet, as we've seen, that's just another one of their lies.

THe word marriage is nowhere in the Washington law. But the Catholic bishops are going after it just the same. They argue that this is just a step to marriage. Therefore, in order to prevent gay marriage, they have to block ANY rights. They write,

While opposing all unjust discrimination against any individual, WSCC upholds marriage as a union between a man and a woman, which is the foundation of our civil society.

So discriminating against my family is "just" discrimination? No, it's JUST DISCRIMINATION.

Remember, the Vatican also opposed a UN resolution that decried criminalization of homosexuality, including imprisonment and execution. Because obviously, protesting if backward nations execute gays is just like gay marriage. I called it the Vatican Better Dead than Wed policy.

Is this the Catholic Hierarchy simply standing up for the Church's view on marriage? NO. Because if they were protecting their ideals of marriage, they would be political activists against civil divorce and remarriage, which are not supported by the Roman Catholic church. (You will note that no one is forcing any Catholic church to marry divorced people, which gives the lie to their "religious freedom" and "religious values" arguments against gay marriage. But I digress.)

So, let's be clear on what the Catholic Bishops want. Because it was clear what they wanted here in California. They want gays to have NO civil rights. They want gay families to have NO legal protections. We need to call them on it. And the people who REALLY need to call them on it are the Catholics in the pews, in whose name this is ostensibly being done.

As gay Catholic priest Fr Geoff Farrow writes,

At a certain point, Catholics in the pews need to ask how the hierarchy is spending funds, which they have donated for charitable endeavors. Beyond that, California citizens and Americans as a whole need to begin to ask why religious organizations, which enjoy non-profit tax exemptions, are permitted to operate like non-tax exempt PACs (Political Action Committees). ......Politics is the primary role of the laity not of the hierarchy. When the hierarchy usurps the role of the laity in this area, they invariably create more problems than they solve and they undermine the role of spiritual teachers which is their primary role.

Updated: link fixed.

Update2: The Seattle Times urges that people decline to sign the referndum:

WASHINGTON voters have every good reason to ignore signature gatherers who seek to block an expansion of rights for registered domestic partners. ..... The effort should fail.

The legislation, Senate Bill 5688, is fundamentally about gay and lesbian couples and their families living within the framework of the law, with all its practical realities and complexities.

These are adults in committed relationships, raising children, running businesses and owning property. They have real estate, pensions and sick leave, and child-custody issues that are part of the work-a-day world...... The legislation is no more radical than helping our neighbors and their families live their lives.

And that's what the Catholic Bishops want to stop.