'Grace' goes both ways

The July 26 Press Editorial suggested "Grace" should be employed to resolve differences created by recently enacted laws. I agree, but there has been a chasm created between those who want Civil Rights and those who want Religious Freedom. Whether it is national, state or local, laws need to be inclusive and not pit one factor of the Constitution against another factor. With patience and a few modifications we can work our way through these issues.

Many of the early American colonies were settled by European immigrants fleeing religious persecution. They had a great influence on how the Constitution was written. Religious freedom is the foundation that has held the nation together. The American Bible Belt churches will not edit, or lay aside, their Bibles on the issue of marriage; so, everyone needs to keep their cool.

In May of this year, the Pew Research Center released the results of a 2007 survey of religions in the United States. The religious community was as follows: 25.4 percent Evangelical Protestants; 22.8 percent Unaffiliated; 20.8 percent Catholic; 14.7 percent Mainline Protestants and 5.9 percent Non-Christian - this seems low but may have been correct in 2007.

There are approximately 62 million Evangelical Protestants and another 54 million unaffiliated people who believe that marriage should be limited to the union of one man and one woman. Many of the above are concerned, that if left unchallenged, extremists will try to prevent them from teaching moral issues referenced in the Bible. These figures do not include the Catholic Church or others that may have the same belief. The New Testament has five references to marriage; five references to fornication (which includes adultery and homosexuality) and one reference to sodomy. The great majority of church members are not homophobic as charged by the LGBT community. They will welcome everyone who enters the church, in reverence, to hear scripture as written in the Bible. Additionally, they have their own beliefs but prefer to leave moral judgments to God. The marriage issue is what tipped the scales in the south.

The Press article inferred that, in the act of "Grace," 62 million Evangelical Protestants and another 54 million unaffiliated church members should modify their marriage standards and align themselves with the 2.8 million member Episcopal Church which has chosen to perform same sex marriages. As an outside observer, looking in, that is stretching Grace quite thin. In essence this is asking the majority churches to edit 11 passages from the New Testament and the whole foundation of marriage established in the Old Testament.

In my opinion, judicial "grace" is required to clear up the mess they have created. As stated previously, laws need to be inclusive and not pit one factor of the Constitution against another factor. The churches need to be assured that they can send out tracts with missionaries, preach all Bible passages, and perform marriages that comply with their moral standards, whenever and wherever they are asked to do so without harassment and/or lawsuits.

As suggested by The Press, "Grace" goes both ways. The whole Bible Belt could be ignited into frenzy if churches and their leaders are targeted. For the well-being of the nation, that should never happen. We have more than enough tension to contend with overseas; it would be literally crazy to start more turmoil at home.

Leonard Brant is a resident of Post Falls.