Are non-Catholic churches hastily approving SS marriage because of upcoming SCOTUS decision?

[elsker]

We all pretty much can guess where SCOTUS stands on the gay marriage issue so when June comes around it will be a shocker if anyone is actually surprised by the ruling that’s going to be handed down.

Today I read that the Presbyterian church has given its ministers discretion to perform same sex marriages.

washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/17/presbyterian-church-changes-constitution-to-include-gay-marriage/

I can’t help but wonder if this is an attempt to show the world that they are in step with the redefinition of marriage BEFORE the SCOTUS ruling; that way they can say they were amending their teaching on it well ahead of it being ruled on officially at the federal level?

With each new change in teaching in the various non-catholic faiths all eyes look towards Rome to see what the RCC will do and if and when it will jump on board and change with the times. Every word the pope says is over analyzed and scrutinized; deciphered, reprocessed and fed back to the media who tries to tease out any inkling of hope that the RCC might start humming a different tune.

Sometimes I feel as if I’m watching a deadly game of spiritual “chicken” but its not about who’s brave enough to hold out the longest until giving in; but about who is mandated by truth to hold on forever despite what the rest of the world wants them to do.

Blessings Elsker

 

[ChurchSoldier]

The PCUSA has been working on this for a decade. Sadly, all it proves is they are one more group walking away from Christ’s teachings.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

But is there ANY school of thought that forecasts a favorable SCOTUS decision on gay marriage would force the hand of churches?

 

[dmar198]

But is there ANY school of thought that forecasts a favorable SCOTUS decision on gay marriage would force the hand of churches?

I think a SCOTUS decision approving “same-sex marriage” would be Unfavorable, not favorable.

And I do think there are indications that the government would try to force churches to perform same-sex “weddings.” I believe a for-profit chapel was recently threatened with fines if they continued to refuse to perform same-sex ceremonies. If I’m reading my source correctly, the fines were because they are a business and therefore supposedly can’t discriminate. source

 

[rfournier103]

I am VERY curious to see how the Catholic Church responds to this. And how the Church responds to the almost certain pressure from the government to “change”.

Praying for Christ’s Fortitude to be with His Church.

 

[SMHW]

While I can see the government putting pressure on the Catholic Church to perform same sex marriages, and I can see the possibility of something happening which is similar to what’s happened in Canada where opposing same sex marriage becomes official hate-speech, I think the most realistic legal ramification would be the Church losing the civil authority to witness marriages. That would mean that Catholic marriage in the United States would become a two step process like it already is in some countries.

 

[Winter_Warlock_1]

My view is that regardless of any state / federal decision or law allowing ss marriage; the Catholic Church still would not preside over any type of marriage of this type. Just as the Supreme Court ruled that the obama healthcare law cannot force Religious organizations / companies (family owned) to purchase birth control for their employees.

So even if passed Churches of any type would have the ability to refuse. Whether they do or not is their choice.

Remain strong and trust in God.

Winter

 

[Kal2012]

My take is that the church knows where they get their money from.

I really don’t think the RCC will change its teaching because they would lose more members than they would gain and donations/tithes would go down significantly.

If you read some of the interviews with people whom SSM is a big deal and they want the church to change, they’ll admit that the RCC accepting SSM would not bring them back into the church. So, it’s really about making the church conform to their standard, not an individual conforming to the church. (i.e. people are being selfish!)

I will also be watching to see how the church responds to this because it was their stance for traditional, sacramental marriage (and other things) that moved me towards conversion.

Just because other churches want to recognize and perform SSM’s doesn’t mean that they are doing the right thing.

I think it’s sad that these churches are leading their flocks astray.

 

[Cat]

I think that non-Catholic churches are approving same-sex marriages because they have fallen into beliefs that are not orthodox or historically-Christian.

They WANT to sin. They WANT to label as love what is really sin.

Many of the mainline Protestant churches have been performing same-sex union ceremonies for decades, back as far as the 1970s. Many of them have unapologetically welcomed gay couples and celebrated their “love.” Many of these churches hire openly-gay pastors (male and female) who are openly living with a partner.

They didn’t wait for the SCOTUS decision. They just did it on their own years ago.

I think this is one of the reasons for the growth in Evangelical Protestant churches, which for the most part are still trying to hold up the belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman. The growth of Evangelical Protestant churches started back in the 1970s, which is when many of the mainline churches started advocating pro-gay and pro-abortion practices and doctrines.

What the Church needs to do is separate the sacrament of marriage from the legal civil ceremony for marrying a couple. Many other countries do this. Somehow in the U.S., the government put religious organizations in the position of being able to perform a civilly-binding ceremony. This is problematic, and needs to go. It’s the only way that we will be able to say “No” to any couples or group that wants to get married–if we inform them that our sacrament only applies to 1 male/1 female.

I’m not sure what will happen in Evangelical Protestant churches that don’t do “sacramental” marriages. This will be hard for them. It could be an impetus for helping Evangelical Protestantism to grow closer to unifying with Catholicism, just as abortion has helped Evangelical Protestant churches to develop respect and admiration for Catholicism.

 

[Andre1000]

…
I think it’s sad that these churches are leading their flocks astray.

This “churches” are leading their flocks astray since they have been created. It only becomes more and more obvious, but rejecting the Church and the Sacraments was much worse than gay “marriage”. I find this development actually good, because it shows the true colors of the heretics and lets the Church shine again.