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Tuesday March 6, 2007
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Boston Cardinal Cites Canada as an Example on Crackdown on Religious Freedom
By Hilary White
BOSTON, March 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Boston's Cardinal Archbishop, Sean O'Malley has compared Canada's eroding legal protections for religious freedom with the case of a Lexington Massachusetts father who was denied by a school his right to opt his son out of state-prescribed sex-education classes.
Cardinal O'Malley compares the Massachusetts case to the situation in Canada. He wrote, "In Canada . . . They are already seeing the many different ways that people's religious rights are being trampled because of the redefinition of marriage."
In 2005, David Parker of Lexington filed suit when his son's school notified him that he would not be informed when the class would include homosexual or "transgender" information. On February 23, Federal District Judge Mark L. Wolf ruled that children in elementary school must remain in "diversity" classes that include explicit information on homosexual acts.
O'Malley maintains a popular weblog on which he wrote Friday that the Court had overstepped the bounds of the law. O'Malley points out that Massachusetts law allows parents to be notified and have the option of removing children from classes when "human sexual education or human sexuality issues" are presented.
The Cardinal comments that the most disturbing aspect of the case "is that it underscores how, by redefining marriage in Massachusetts, people's religious rights are going to be challenged by the state."
Although federal politicians in Canada assured religious leaders that "gay marriage" would present no dangers to religious freedoms, a domino effect has already begun through court and human rights tribunal complaints.
In November 2005, the BC human rights Commission ordered the Knights of Columbus, Canada's largest Catholic philanthropic organization, to pay $2000 damages to two women who wanted to use their hall for their "wedding" reception.
Calgary's own Catholic bishop, Fred Henry, was threatened during the last federal election by an official of Revenue Canada for his forthright teaching on the meaning of marriage. The official told Bishop Henry that the charitable tax status of the Catholic Church in Calgary might be jeopardized by his vocal opposition to homosexual "marriage" during an election.
Throughout Canada, marriage commissioners are facing the stark choice of either performing civil ceremonies for homosexual partners or resigning. LifeSiteNews.com reported yesterday that in New Brunswick, homosexual activists are opposing a proposed amendment to the Marriage Act that would allow marriage commissioners to refuse on religious grounds.
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Justice in British Columbia Knights Case also Decided Against Christians Kempling, Brockie
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120801.html
Knights of Columbus Forced to Pay Damages to Lesbians for Refusing to Rent Hall for "Wedding" Reception
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/nov/05113006.html
Canada Tax Authority Warns Calgary Bishop to Avoid "Partisan" Rhetoric during Elections
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/sep/04092902.html
Marriage Commissioner: "I Couldn't Live With Myself if I Were to Perform Same Sex Marriages"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/feb/07020107.html
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