Morally wrong to impose your religion on others

I last saw Janet Leslie Reynolds in 1978 when I was "friends" (pre-Facebook) with her older cousin Helen in the graduate counseling program at East Texas State University — and Janet helped in the family restaurant.

Since then, Janet has married, divorced, and now lives with Beth — a nanny.

My Florida Facebook friend does not understand why anyone wants to prevent Beth and her from making a legal commitment.

"We need to tell people who use religion against marriage equality that their opinion counts only in their personal lives," says Janet. She adds that she has become blunt in doing the right thing and not worrying about stepping on toes.

It makes people happy to get married, she opines. "It may not last, but it's one of the greatest ephemeral highs we have.

"Pious people's point is not applicable for this specific discrimination since many non-religious people can get married."

Janet says if people base marriage only on the Bible, sleeping with others while married and the ensuing divorces are forbidden.

"People against marriage equality based on religion should not have the right to get divorced or do anything else against Biblical principles.

"If laws are based on the Bible, everyone divorced and remarried should be forced to return to the first, sacred marriage God condoned.

"Otherwise, they are practicing heresy and living in sin."

Janet believes it is morally wrong to impose a religious rationale to deny others their rights.

"I can make up my own religion and tell folks their behavior is abominable, but I can't and wouldn't expect the laws of our country to follow my tenets.

"Crazy ideas from religion take people to the darkest places in the Universe. For crying out loud, that's why we're fighting the Taliban."

Contact Wendel Sloan at:

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