A Response to the NY Bishops Conference Statement on Same-Sex Marriage

Last week Roman Catholic Bishops from New York released a statement condemning the New York State recognition of same-sex marriage. The NY Bishops' Conference statement was in response to Governor David Paterson's directive that all state agencies must revise their policies and regulations to legally recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states (Massachusetts and California), as well as Canada. The Governor's memo warns that failure to do so could result in sanctions for violations of the state human rights law (You can see an Empire State Pride Agenda video of Governor Paterson announcing the directive, as well as the text of the memo here, on the New York Observer's website).

What I find most troubling about the Bishops' statement is not that it condemns same-sex marriage. Such a condemnation is not news coming from Roman Catholic Church leaders. The Church has condemned most things homosexual for centuries. And I wish not to debate the Bishops' assertion that "numerous theological and religious arguments could be advanced as to why same-sex unions should be rejected." I strongly believe their arguments are weak at best, and that there are theological and religious arguments that could be advanced as to why same-sex marriage SHOULD BE ACCEPTED (see the work of Princeton Theology Professor William Stacy Johnson, JD, PhD here, and here and, Marvin M. Ellison of Bangor Theological Seminary here, and Eugene F. Rogers, Jr. here). In addition, the argument that same-gendered marriage is against "common sense and natural law" is old and stale, and easily debunked. No, it's not their theological arguments that trouble me, but rather their attempts at using flawed, or perhaps intellectually dishonest sociological arguments to build a case against marriage equality.



The NY Bishops' rightfully make a case for two-parent families. In their statement, they remind us that a two-parent home is often better than a one-parent home. They even invoked the name of liberal democrat Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan who fought for the family during his time in public service in making their case. However to use this argument for the two-parent family as a case against same-sex marriage is illogical and quite frankly, intellectually dishonest. It seems that the Bishops' are trying to make a connection that just doesn't make sense. Are they saying that same-sex marriages are the cause of divorce in America? Are they making an implication that two same-gendered parents are the equivalent of a single parent in regard to effective parenting? Of course, both of these premises are unfounded and absurd. The Bishops' Conference statement is "spinning" a case based on innuendo that families formed by gay/lesbian parents are somehow flawed or not as stable as families parented by heterosexuals. They even suggest that there is empirical evidence to support this contention, however they do not cite any. On the other hand, what the growing empirical evidence suggests is that "children who grow up with 1 or 2 gay and/or lesbian parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as do children whose parents are heterosexual" (PEDIATRICS Vol. 109 No. 2 February 2002, pp. 341-344 as found on the AAP Policy website).

And by the way, it should be noted that Sen. Moynihan never publicly expressed opposition to same-sex marriage and voted "no" against the federal "Defense of Marriage Act" in 1996. It seems that the Bishops' have used a tactic that many against same-sex marriage have used by dishonestly suggesting through innuendo that the liberal senator was an ally in their fight against same-sex marriage (see "Gay-Marriage Opponents Distort Moynihan's Views" in The New York Oberver, July 25, 2004).

And contrary to the Bishops' statement, disallowing same-sex marriage IS an issue of discrimination because of the myriad of legal rights that are afforded married couples that are currently denied to gay couples without the same institution. Even the best lawyer can not put in place all of the legal directives and rights that a married couple is given by the simple act of marriage.

Same-gendered couples seek to get married for the same reasons as different-gendered couples. They seek an institution where they can share the love given to them by God and build a family just as any other married couple could. Their relationships are more than an expression of affection or commitment (as described by the Bishops' statement), but has the unique and sometimes indescribable qualities of love and shared values that make them wonderful spouses, parents, and grandparents. These God-given qualities are what distinguish a married couple from any other close relationship that one has with others, and they are not unique to just heterosexual couples -- they can be found in homosexual couples as well.

The Bishops fail to adequately justify disallowing same-sex couples from legally getting married in New York State. And it is disappointing that they use such a flawed premise in their statement.