The Catholic Church: America's Anti-LGBT Credit Card

Official Catholic Church of Maine giving money to take away civil rights for gay and lesbian Mainers: $100,000.

Official Catholi group, Knights of Columbus, giving money to take away marriage for gays and lesbians in Maine: $50,000.

Knowing that the Catholic Church is apparently a limitless credit card for anti-LGBT forces in this country that would rather bash gays and lesbians than take care of the poor or keep open their own schools:  Priceless.

News is out this week that the Catholic Church, and organizations like the Knights of Columbus with a strong affiliation to the Church, have donated more than $150,000 to steal away the right to marriage in Maine for gay and lesbian couples. That's in addition to the millions that the Catholic Church funneled into California to help pass Proposition 8.

And if that weren't enough, another group of radical Catholics have formed a touring company of anti-gay folks, to travel to states including Maine, Rhode Island, and New York to rally against same-sex marriage.  The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Proprety has launched (and we have to say, that's the creepiest name for an organization...think they'll be holding book-burning parties soon?), is organized by a group of wealthy Catholics, and have already started to produce publications, including a pamphlet "Ten Reasons Why Homosexual Marriage is Harmful and Must Be Opposed."

Here's one of their organizers, John Ritchie, on their efforts to destroy same-sex marriage:

Like counterfeit currency, homosexual 'marriage' is not true marriage. It is morally wrong, sinful, offensive to God and a violation of natural law.  To claim that marriage can be anything other than the union of one man and one woman is a flat denial of reality.

Where to begin on this one.  Well, as much as John Ritchie or any of the other members of his group might like to believe, same-sex marriage is a reality in this country.  Six states currently, and hopefully more to come with New York or New Jersey in the coming months.  So it seems like Mr. Ritchie is the one who is practicing a flat denial of reality.

And then there's the fact that Ritchie, as well as many leaders within the Catholic Church, say that same-sex marriage is offensive to God.  It simply isn't.  There's easily a biblical case to be made for same-sex marriage. Besides, if God is about love, then why wouldn't he or she celebrate the loving relationships of two men or two women?

Maybe that's common sense.  But given the resurgence of the Catholic Church as the most anti-LGBT religious talking head in this country, it seems worthwhile to say.  And keep your eye on the Church's pocketbook.  They've given $150,000 already to bash same-sex marriage, and you know there's a trail of money bags likely in the pike to keep that up.