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| C.H.E. Sadaphal is a board-certified physician and Libertarian writer. |
"In the contemporary world, we’re at an interesting crossroads, brought about by a flurry of recent events both nationally and abroad. At the center of many of these events is the issue of “true freedom” which seems not to be an ironclad concept, but a constantly evolving ideology that conforms itself to the situation. On the issue of gay marriage, for example, the practice is now legal in 36 states, with the recent addition of the state of Florida last month. “Equality” is increasingly being codified as law, and a typical response from religious conservatives is that their religious freedom is being trampled in the pursuit of egalitarianism.
Now, let us all be clear about marriage-equality laws. They do not in fact mandate what happens inside of a church, so the State cannot force a clergy member to wed a same-sex couple. Civil weddings are what the law applies to. However in spite of this, many members of society are being penalized for refusing elective services to same-sex couples. A bakery in Oregon became one example by refusing to serve a wedding cake to a lesbian couple. The bakery is under investigation for a civil rights violation, according to a 2007 Oregon law. With similar cases popping up all over the country, I can sadly envision a future where a same-sex couple brings up a legal case against the Church for standing by the truth and refusing to allow secular authority to tell spiritual authority who has ultimate dominion."
