RELIGIOUS MIXED SIGNALS

Last week, many of the state's Roman Catholics came to Hartford in protest of a possible change in the law which would, in essence, deny their church the right to govern according to their own theology and church polity. The change in law was a well intentioned matter,as many Catholic parishioners were rightly concerned with the way a priest in the Bridgeport diocese totally misused their parish finances. Nonetheless, the fundamental point here IS one of religious freedom.

What is troubling though is that there is clear evidence that many of the protesters used this occasion to get back at two state legislators, both of whom are gay, who have been strong advocates of human and civil rights for all, including homosexuals, and who were willing to conduct hearings on this law. The HARTFORD ADVOCATE does an excellent job documenting this in their recent FREE issue. From this article, it seems obvious that for many, the religious freedom protest was deeply intertwined with an anti gay rights protest. Ironically, the position espoused by those denying homosexuals the right to marry seems inconsistent with a sensible religious freedom position.

What is also troubling is the way some awful virulent attacks on these legislators, including a death threat, were unleashed in a protest defending ' religious rights'.

Bottom line: Religious freedom means religious freedom FOR ALL.

PB