Indiana GOP passes law making it a crime for clergy to marry gays (legal, politicians)

[inahandbasket]

Indiana GOP passes law making it a crime for clergy to marry gays (AmericaBlog)
Indiana GOP passes law making it a crime for clergy to marry gays

"In what appears to be a rather massive violation of the freedom of religion, the Republican party in Indiana appears to have amended the state criminal code to either make it a crime, or confirm that it remain a crime, for clergy to conduct weddings for gay couples.
While it is not widely known, numerous mainstream American religions permit gay nuptials. The faiths include reform Judaism, Evangelical Lutherans, Episcopalians, and the United Church of Christ, among others.
The amendment to the criminal code, which will go into effect on July 1, 2014, makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $1,000 for clergy “solemnize” a marriage of two men or two women:"


IC 31-11-11-7
Solemnization of marriage between persons prohibited from marrying
Sec. 7. A person who knowingly solemnizes a marriage of individuals who are prohibited from marrying by IC 31-11-1 commits a Class B misdemeanor.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.3.

IC 31-11-11-8
Failure to timely file marriage license and duplicate marriage certificate
Sec. 8. A person who:
(1) solemnizes a marriage; and
(2) fails to file the marriage license and a duplicate marriage certificate with the clerk of the circuit court not later than ninety (90) days after the date the marriage was solemnized;
commits a Class C infraction.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.3.

Indiana Code 31-11-11

This clearly means anyone having a commitment/marriage ceremony WITHOUT A LICENSE is breaking the law. For example, a man and woman (residents of Indiana) who are both widowed and are practicing Catholics, fall in love. Because they are surviving spouses one or both receive their dead spouses' Social Security benefit. They don't want to lose that income so they have two choices: violate their Catholic doctrine and "live in sin" or violate Indiana law and have a Catholic priest marry them without registering that marriage with the state.

What say you, Teahadists, who've proclaimed "gubmint is gonna make churches marry them gays!!!" This statute is clearly a violation of the First Amendment, separation of church and state.

[jjrose]

So much for the first amendment.

[Vejadu]

I completely disagree with this law. While I strongly believe that the government cannot force a church to perform a wedding that violates its doctrine, there should be no law punishing a church for marrying a couple who have a legal right to marriage and whose marriage is recognized by that church. That's just absurd.

[urbanlife78]

And this will be struck down in a court of law in 3...2....1....

Good job Republicans, your bigotry is starting to show again.

[BigDGeek]

What a disgusting infringement of religious liberties.

[EmeraldCityWanderer]

It's nice of the GOP to force government onto religion, and violate the first amendment.

Originally Posted by Vejadu

I completely disagree with this law. While I strongly believe that the government cannot force a church to perform a wedding that violates its doctrine, there should be no law punishing a church for marrying a couple who have a legal right to marriage and whose marriage is recognized by that church. That's just absurd.

No one is forcing churches to marry anyone. There are even holdouts to inter-racial marriages.

Nor can anyone force them not to marry anyone they wish to.

[Tinawina]

Well that won't last and they know it. Probably an attempt to solidify ultra conservative votes in advance of the midterm elections. A lot of that going around unfortunately.

[Chimuelojones]

Funny how homophobes use the argument that SSM laws will force Churches to marry SS couples...Yet it is the GOP attempting to force churches to comply to the "State".

[italianuser]

Wow... sure GOP politicians focus on real problems

[EmeraldCityWanderer]

Originally Posted by italianuser

Wow... sure GOP politicians focus on real problems

Yeah, whatever happened to that narrow focus on jobs?

I think SSM would help that with all the people getting married now that it's legal...