This makes Bill Duncan of the Marriage Law Foundation very upset indeed. According to the Salt Lake Tribune:
The courts need to understand how religious groups think about Prop 8, said Bill Duncan, director of Marriage Law Foundation, based in Lehi. Many religions still view marriage as set out in their doctrinal teachings, that is, between a man and a woman, he said.Mr. Duncan, the courts already know your religious views, and they don't care. Why? Because they don't matter. Everyone knows this is a religious issue, but the reason no one is talking about that in court is because that would be the easiest way to get it tossed out because of the First Amendment. You see, right before the part of the Constitution that allows you to practice whatever religion you want is a part that says no one can make anyone else follow their religion.
Bill, you can think in your head all day that God thinks gay people are icky and never ever wants them to get married. You can even say it out loud. That's you using your religious freedom. At the very same time, other people are allowed to think or say that God thinks gay people are just fine, or even that there might not be a God at all. That's them using their religious freedom.
The thing about religious freedom is that everybody gets it. If I were to say "My religion says that everyone has to follow my religion, so there must be a law that says so," that would not be me using my religious freedom because it would take away other peoples' religious freedom. It would not be allowed because of the First Amendment, even if I had lots and lots of friends who thought the same thing.
If you think my tone is a little condescending, you are right. I am talking to you like you are a child, and for good reason. This is not a hard concept. Your statements indicate you do not understand it. I feel if I present it on a more elementary level, you might understand it better.
You might be thinking now: "This guy sure doesn't respect my religious freedom." You are wrong about that. I fully respect your religious freedom, I simply do not respect your religion. If you had kept your religion to yourself, there would be no problem. But you decided to make your religious views part of a public policy issue, which means I can say I think your religious views are false, archaic, have no place in the legal system, are counterproductive, unrealistic and stupid. That's me using my freedom of speech.
