Kansas is in the limelight these days. Put less charitably, it is more like the
harsh glare of criticism for the Kansas House bill passed on February 12. By a vote of 72-49 our legislators sought to
protect private sector and government employees from lawsuits if they refuse to
do business with same-sex couples for religious reasons.
The measure then went to the
state’s GOP-controlled Senate, which chose to pursue a more nuanced and
measured approach than the House.
Thankfully, Susan Wagle, a conservative Republican who is president of
the Kanas Senate, raised opposition to the practical implications of the bill
and said, ”my members don’t condone discrimination.” Her principled leadership effectively shut
down the bill.
Yet, I am concerned about what
motivated the bill in the first place.
Is the rapid social change on same-sex marriage really that threatening
to persons of good will? Should we not
be celebrating covenantal love that displaces promiscuity? Even if one does not
understand the origin of homosexuality, should civil rights not be extended to
all persons equally? These are hard
questions, and churches must contribute ethical sensitivity to the public
discourse. Doing justice and loving
mercy should guide our reflection and our action.
As a
Baptist, I value religious liberty greatly.
Our Baptist forebears contributed to the centrality of the First
Amendment and its provision for freedom of religious expression. I simply do not think that religious liberty
should be a bludgeon of bigotry. We expect our governing bodies to protect
human rights, and in this case, a vulnerable minority should be able to lay claim
to basic dignity in accessing services.
Not too many years ago, laws allowed merchants to turn away black
people, and the Jim Crow mentality lingered.
Kansas has a storied history in the struggle for abolition; I would love
to see it reclaim such prophetic posture rather than be reactionary out of
fear.
Last year,
the legislature passed the Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, which
protects residents from government burdens that may force them to break their
religious beliefs. The current bill went further and seemed to target same-sex
couples. Yet, “the public outcry by
midweek had reached such a volume that the Senate just wasn’t going to be able
to take it up,” said Thomas Witt, the executive director of Equality Kansas, a
nonprofit group that fights discrimination and strongly opposed the bill. This is encouraging.
The furor
has quieted in Kansas, but other states are considering similar measures. I trust that sustained conversation, a good
dose of empathy, and a concern for evenhandedness will achieve constructive
common ground.
Molly T.
Marshall
Central prepares women and men for seeking God, shaping
church, and serving humanity.
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