Amazing, that in this day & age, people are still eager to buy into that nonsense, that GOD is one of hate, of vengeance. Yet in the province of Saskatchewan, that is what one retired police office, turned Marriage Commissioner believes, which is why he refused to marry a gay couple.  Got taken to the human right’s commission as well, and he lost.  And so the saga begins.

But in a 39-page decision dated July 17, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Janet McMurty dismissed Nichols’ argument, concluding that the human rights tribunal was “correct in its finding that the commission had established discrimination and that accommodation of Mr. Nichols’ religious beliefs was not required.” ( CBC News )

I’ve said it before, I believe that any marriage commissioner, hired prior to the passage of the same sex marriage law in Canada, should be given an exemption from having to marry Gay couples. To me, that is fair, and reasonable. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY EXEMPTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ANYONE HIRED AFTER THAT PASSAGE.

Religious Beliefs that are not mine, or yours, exist, and there should be some consideration given for them. I know, job descriptions change, and at that point, it is up to the employee, to decide if they can continue in that line of work, or not. However, we do take religious beliefs seriously, and we do make allowances.

Just look at the whole Turban issue with Law Enforcement, and other religious customs, that have been allowed, in other jobs.

I personally don’t buy the GOD HATES HOMOSEXUALS mantra from SOME religious circles, but that is their choice, their right to believe. In this case, I really don’t think it was discrimination, and it does bring up the other question.  JUST HOW DEVASTATING COULD IT BE, IF SOME OTHER COMMISSIONER WAS AVAILABLE & ABLE TO PERFORM THE CEREMONY?

Sometimes, I think we look for hate where really there is simply a difference of opinion. In this case, I don’t know if it would devastate me, as claimed, but then again, that is me. I just find, that sometimes you can’t win every battle, and sometimes, you need to step back from some, because they just aren’t cut and dried.

I didn’t run into that problem, when I married David. In fact, when we got our license, we were congradulated by the issuer, and a couple of other people near by. We even had a Rabbi marry us, in the home, so I can’t say how I’d feel, if we had been rejected. I just don’t believe, that it was based on discrimination, but on a lack of knowledge.

Even in the so called ‘gay community‘ there is distrust or ridicule of those who are ‘transgendered‘ Guys who want to be women, and women who want to be men, and yet in this battle for human rights, they are left out. Look at the recent passage of ‘discrimination‘ laws where ‘transgender‘ has been dropped.

Today is National Remembrance Day for those who have been killed because they are ‘transgender‘

(Washington) Vigils, services and a variety of other events are being held in 250 cities around the world today to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance – the day set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. (source)

At the same time, there are two sore losers who want to sue, because they lost to a Transgender person in an election. Claiming ‘fraud‘ these losers believe that a person represented themselves as a woman, when they were a man.

Bruce, who has never hidden that she is transgender was the incumbent in the Nov. 6 election for the Riverdale, Georgia City Council. She was the top vote-getter and advances to a runoff election next month. (source)

This ‘gender’ bias seems to be rampant. Even in the 2008 Presidential Campaign, gender seems to be playing a role. Just ask Hilary Clinton who is playing the Gender Card, in an attempt to avoid answering the really tough questions. Like what her policies are.

Seems to me, we just have way too much HATE in our system, on our minds. I guess I am naive, because what does it matter if I sleep with another guy, or if someone prefers to be a different sex? Does it change their core beliefs? Does it alter their ability to tell the truth, to love?

The FBI has released its figures and Hate Crimes are on the rise. About 8% according to the stats, and yet the addition of sexual orientation to the Federal Law remains in the Senate, with a Presidential Veto threatened. Yet HATE is on the rise, and according to the FBI, attacks on Homosexuals or on ‘sexual orientation‘ accounts for about 15% of the total.

Also in 2006, religious prejudice was blamed for 18.9 percent of the incidents; sexual orientation prejudice for 15.5 percent; and ethnic or national origin for 12.7 percent. (source)

I suppose that Herr Bush’s reply would be that as we are ‘immoral‘ it doesn’t matter. Or maybe he thinks that the fact that it is only 15% isn’t enough to warrant protection from Hate or Discrimination. After all, this is the man who claims ‘water boarding‘ is not only legal, but safe. (see Gay Talk comment ‘Ends Justify the Means?‘)

And what does Mr Hutcherson say about that? Like Phelps, that it is God’s Retribution?