Further to my recent post about the battle to defend marriage, here’s an e-mail I’ve just received from European Dignity Watch, an organization which is battling against the secular fundamentalism of the European Union.

 

European Report

 

Monday, January 16 2012

 

      European Dignity Watch

       Marriage and Religious Freedom     

 

Fundamental Goods That Stand or Fall Together

 

Dear Joseph,

 

Today, we exceptionally report on an US initiative that targets a problem not less relevant in Europe than across the Atlantic. In an open letter, religious leaders of the largest faith communities in the US defend marriage as the foundational institution of all societies.

The letter demonstrates the connection between marriage and religious freedom and leaves no doubt that the redefinition of marriage constitutes a direct attack on religious freedom. Either they stand or they fall together.

 

 The letter points out serious consequences of redefining marriage that will “arise in a broad range of legal contexts, because altering the civil definition of ‘marriage’ does not change one law, but hundreds, even thousands, at once. By a single stroke, every law where rights depend on marital status-such as employment discrimination, employment benefits, adoption, education, healthcare, elder care, housing, property, and taxation-will change so that same-sex sexual relationships must be treated as if they were marriage. That requirement, in turn, will apply to religious people and groups in the ordinary course of their many private or public occupations and ministries-including running schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other housing facilities, providing adoption and counseling services, and many others,” they said.”

 

The leaders warn that redefining marriage has consequences for the religious freedom of all and urged civic leaders to defend marriage so as to defend religious liberty.

 

Read here the full letter. <http://mailman.pxldsk.com/tl.php?p=10o/10t/rs/xe/rw/rs//http%3A%2F%2Fwww.europeandignitywatch.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D43%26amp%3Btx_ttnews%255Btt_news%255D%3D249%26amp%3BcHash%3Df3808989d0bbd8c7fb61c246f483d6dc>