By REY FLORES
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on March 30 vetoed Virginia State Senate Bill SB 41, thereby leaving churches, particularly Catholic parishes, vulnerable to being punished by the state for refusing to perform so-called same-sex marriages in our churches.
It’s not only churches who are being bullied by the radical homosexual militants and their friends in the state government, but any private businesses that provide wedding services, such as photographers, bakeries, bridal shops, tuxedo wear stores, and caterers, are also now less protected in the state of Virginia.
McAuliffe’s veto denies churches our religious freedom to practice our own faith and beliefs.
Since so-called same-sex marriage is unfortunately already legal in Virginia, this new development only furthers the cause to undermine traditional marriage in the state.
During a radio interview with WTOP news radio, Washington, D.C., McAuliffe stated this about the Republican-backed bill: “It’s unconstitutional. It is discriminatory,” and “It demonizes folks. It brings fear and persecution. We can’t tolerate that.”
Obviously missing the irony of his own statement, what McAuliffe just did is unconstitutional, because the U.S. Constitution specifies freedom of religion. Our nation was founded on these principles. There is absolutely no mention of any abomination like so-called same-sex marriage anywhere in any of our nation’s founding documents.
McAuliffe says the bill is discriminatory, but what he just established in Virginia with his veto is precisely that. It is state-sanctioned discrimination against any and all religious groups who do not subscribe to the militant homosexual agenda.
McAuliffe is demonizing Christians for supposedly being bigots and intolerant, yet he is being exactly that toward us. The fear and the persecution he speaks of are now being imposed on churches and Christian business owners.
If homosexuals want to get “married,” there are plenty of churches and wedding service businesses who are happy to cater to them, anyway. Thus, homosexuals have a choice, but, thanks to McAuliffe, Christians here do not have a choice — we face persecution and prosecution if we don’t kowtow to the radical homosexual left.
In typical left-wing progressive fashion, McAuliffe talks about tolerance, but it is only one-sided. Christians and people of faith must tolerate homosexual militancy and sin, but in McAuliffe’s own words about us: “We can’t tolerate that!”
“We” who, Governor? You and the pro-abortion and pro-homosexual lobbyists and benefactors who line the pockets of the Democratic Party?
McAuliffe talks about inclusivity, but inclusivity for whom? Old Dominion should be renamed to New Domination, the state where we exclude whomever we want in the name of inclusivity. Can’t make sense of that? Welcome to the insane liberal mindset.
McAuliffe not only left churches and Christians open to state-sponsored persecution, but now the most dangerous place for an unborn baby is any womb in the state of Virginia.
McAuliffe shouted to his radical fellow pro-abortion supporters, “We are here today to smack down the latest attack on women’s health-care rights!” He said this after vetoing legislation that would have banned the state from providing Medicaid funds to any organizations that provide abortions.
“Health care,” of course, in the universe of the radical pro-abortion left, means abortion and contraception. With Gov. McAuliffe, the age-old political promise of a “chicken in every pot” is now an abortion in every womb.
But, of course, what better place for McAuliffe to make his statement than on the steps of a Richmond, Va., Planned Parenthood location? This ceremony may as well have taken place at an Aztec temple. Same thing.
McAuliffe’s veto of SB 41 means that pastors may now face persecution from the state and their churches could lose their tax-exempt status for refusing to participate in “same-sex marriage.” Charitable religious organizations may also lose any taxpayer-funded state benefits if they try to practice their Christian religious beliefs.
I think churches and Catholic organizations would be better off surrendering their tax-exempt status in order to not be enslaved or beholden to the pro-abortion, pro-homosexualist state. It would require, however, that we step up our financial support of all of our churches and Christian institutions.
Also, students in Virginia who choose to attend any Christian university or college in the state will be denied access to the Virginia Tuition Assistance benefits if the schools have policies in place which support marriage between one man and one woman, as our Christian beliefs teach us.
It’s a new day in Virginia, but let our opposition realize that we will not go quietly. Christians of all stripes must unite if we are to save Old Dominion from the clutches of the likes of McAuliffe and his minions at Planned Parenthood and Equality Virginia.
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(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker and can be reached at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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