The leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormons) have expressed their support for a congressional bill that seeks to safeguard the right of gay couples to marry legally.
The religious group issued the statement on Tuesday, noting that they would only maintain their support of the bill if it respects their belief that such a union goes against the word of God.
Details of the Statement
According to the church's statement on its website, the Respect for Marriage Act pending before the United States Congress is a forward-moving approach.
"We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding," the church said in their statement on Nov. 15.
But despite the Mormons' expression of support for the said bill, they reiterated their church's stand on marriage.
"The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged," the Mormons explained.
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Respect for Marriage Act
According to a Reuters article, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators has approved, in theory, an essential amendment to the House's version of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404).
The proposed bill amendment, which would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act (H.R. 3396), states that the new legislation would not affect constitutionally-guaranteed religious freedom.
Under the amendment, religious institutions would not be met with any legal actions should they refuse access or service for marriages they do not recognize based on their religious beliefs.
The article bared that the U.S. Senate is set to pass its version of the bill within the week at the earliest.
Possibility of S.C. Overturning of Other Rulings
Reuters added that the proposed bill guarantees the protection of gay marriage rights, especially in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.
In her concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas opened up the possibility of the Court overturning other landmark decisions, including the legalization of gay marriage and the right to contraception.
The current Supreme Court's June decision ended the abortion right of women, which was previously guaranteed by the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Consequently, women across the U.S. are now forced to seek abortion access in states where it is still legal. It also opened the possibility of women procuring the services of illegal abortion service providers and purchasing abortion pills through the web.
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