The Marriage Equality vs. Religious Freedom discussion took place on Oct. 24, and featured panelists William Duncan, director of the Marriage Law Foundation, and James Hochberg, president of Hawaii Family Advocates.
It was held before the Religious Freedom Rally on Oct. 28 at the State Capitol. The rally was advertised and flyers were handed out listing frequently asked questions and written testimony samples giving attendees information so they could participate more actively in the fight against the 2013 Hawaii Marriage Equality Act.
More than 6,000 people turned out at the capitol in support of traditional marriage on Oct. 28 outnumbering same sex marriage advocates 20 to 1, said one of the participants at the rally. Despite calls to let the people of the State of Hawaii vote on the matter, the state Senate passed the bill and it is now being debated in the House.
Jerald Roberts, a senior in music from Washington, D.C., and Christina Smith, a senior in pre-professional biology from North Carolina, attended the Oct. 24 meeting on campus together and were impacted by the speakers. Smith said, “I was kind of apathetic about this marriage bill until I went to the forum. The speakers helped me realize how much of an impact this will have not only in our own lives, but in future generations and on our society as a whole.”
Roberts added, “Protecting religious freedoms is my first priority. I do support equal rights, but not at the expense of religious freedoms or the rights of small businesses.”
Roberts mentioned as well that it’s difficult to be in a situation in which both parties can’t voice their opinions without arguing—and that it’s difficult to voice an opinion at all without appearing biased or offensive to those who disagree. Regardless of opinions, he believes that the overarching principle in any situation is to love and respect all people.
The speakers and handouts enumerated exactly what the act is about. According to the sheet of FAQs, “Hawaii’s bill offers limited religious protections . . . This bill does not protect organizations related to or controlled by religious organizations, nor does it protect such organizations with respect to the celebrations or the promotions of marriage against their religious beliefs.”
Organizations mentioned in this statement include all BYU schools. Duncan began his discourse by observing that this upcoming bill, if passed, would reshape families in a way that will not appropriately take care of children’s needs.
Duncan stated, “This bill provides a very basic change in the way religious people view themselves.” He said the success of the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act would result in the government belief that men and women are interchangeable and that those who do not believe so are bigots.
In a nutshell, the BYUs and those of the LDS Church could potentially be said to be practicing their religion in an unlawfully discriminatory way by refusing to accept that not all children have a mother and a father; some have two mothers, and some two fathers. If the act is successful, it will not only create “equality” in marriage for those of same-sex partnerships, but it will open the door for “equality” between those who practice polygamy and those of multiple-partner relationships as well, said the speakers.