Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
President Barack Obama says freedom of religion isn’t a reason to deny Americans their constitutional rights.
Obama appeared to be referring to Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Davis said such unions violated her religious beliefs.
She was jailed for several days over her defiance of the Supreme Court ruling that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.
Obama says it’s important to recognize that some parts of the country remain uncomfortable with same-sex marriage. But he says that while Americans cherish the right to freedom of religion, it can’t be used to deny a person’s constitutional rights.
“We affirm that we cherish our religious freedom and are profoundly respectful of religious traditions,” he insisted during a dramatic speech at a LGTB fundraiser in New York City on Sunday night, praising the progress made on gay rights under his administration. “But we also have to say clearly that our religious freedom doesn’t grant us the freedom to deny our fellow Americans their constitutional rights.”
During his speech, Obama asserted that his administration was respecting what he described as “genuine concerns” of religious institutions but suggested that Republicans were using the issue just to earn more votes, as they did in 2004.
“America has left the leaders of the Republican Party behind,” he declared proudly.
This comes within days of the Pope’s visit to the US where he did not condemn homosexuality in his address to the US Congress. It seems with the Pope’s visit, the US and the Pope appear to agree on more issues than one.
Things are happening too fast! Jesus is coming friends!
