NC Clergy File Gay Marriage Lawsuit

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**Ahtman**

Source

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Some clergy members are filing a novel lawsuit challenging North Carolina's constitutional ban on gay marriage, saying it violates their religious freedom.

The clergy members say they would like to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies in their congregations, but can't because of the law.

The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Charlotte includes a dozen clergy members and the United Church of Christ, which has more than 1 million members.

Their attorney, Jake Sussman, says the lawsuit opens a new front in marriage equality litigation.

The Rev. J. Bennett Guess says the ban has made is difficult for clergy members to marry same-sex couples: If they do, they know they'll be breaking the law.

**curran12**

The sounds of progress, my friends. It is slow, but a good tune.

**Platuan4th**

curran12 wrote:
The sounds of progress, my friends. It is slow, but a good tune.

Indeed. It's heartening to see a religion(ANY religion) stand up for it.

**LordofHats**

It's almost like being religious doesn't make you an automatic ahole

**Chongara**

Ha!

**Dreadclaw69**

Good

**SagesStone**

Finally.

**Ouze**

It's pretty difficult to argue any such ban isn't a violation of the 14th amendment. I mean, I don't see how the state can win this case.

**Jihadin**

I predict it'll go to SCOTUS

**Soladrin**

LordofHats wrote:
It's almost like being religious doesn't make you an automatic ahole

Don't be silly, they must have some skeletons in the closet.

Anyway, good job clergypeople.

**d-usa**

The conservative red state utopia has been loosing case after case on gay marriage, I am honestly surprised that Oklahoma already lost their case this early in. The bans are dying, we just got a couple years left at best.

**Frazzled**

Ouze wrote:
It's pretty difficult to argue any such ban isn't a violation of the 14th amendment. I mean, I don't see how the state can win this case.

I imagine the state will argue they can still hold the ceremony, but that the wedding is not a valid "wedding" under the laws of NC. Or NC could be a hardass and argue YU VILL MARRY ONLY ZOES VE ZAY YU KAN MARRY.

Could go either way.

I'm torn. The libertarian in me is in agreement that government has no place here (or as my wife kids, dogs, and parakeets always tell me "you can't tell me what to do" or alternatively "shut up old man"). On the other hand, I have issues with using the court system to affect legislation. Thats what created the unsettled abortion issue, and the thought that unelected lawyers making law is antitethical to the US governmental system.