Free Write for Opinion Editorial

                One potential thought I had for my opinion editorial on religion in America, was something I recently saw on the news about gay rights. In this story, a woman who is a county clerk in Kentucky denies to give gay couples marriage licenses, claiming she is acting “under God’s authority”

                Gay marriage is now legal in all 50 states in the United States. However, there is a large percent of Americans who are opposed to gay marriage - generally Christians. This once again brings up the long debated dilemma of the rights of religion vs. the law.

                The first amendment in the United States constitution protect the rights of individuals to practice whatever religion they want. I believe that the supreme court has interpreted this later to mean we all have the right to practice our beliefs, so long as our beliefs do not put others in any danger, or infringes upon the rights of others. Obviously I would do more research on the details if I end up choosing this as my topic. But when this country clerk insist that it is her right to deny a marriage license to gay couples because of her beliefs, does that not encroach on the rights and beliefs of others? Should this be allowed or not?

                In my opinion, because she is working for the State of Kentucky she must abide by the law of the land (The Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.) She does not have the right to withhold a State marriage license to any couple, gay or straight. She does not have to endorse gay marriage, but she does have to obey the law. Personally I also believe that just as God lets us have our agency, we as Christians need to be mindful and respectful toward the agency of others. We do not have to right to force some one else to live by our beliefs. And that goes for any religious nomination, because we all differ in belief, and it is okay to disagree.

               Dallin H. Oaks said in his talk, Loving Others and Living with Differences, “When our positions do not prevail, we should accept unfavorable results graciously and practice civility with our adversaries.”