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Opinion
The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
News / Opinion / Letters to the Editor

Letter: Don’t like gay marriage? Then abstain

The Columbian
Published: January 21, 2012, 4:00pm

While reading anti-marriage equality letters to the editor, I’ve noticed quite a few authors quoting scripture, paraphrasing something from the Bible, or citing religious belief. I have chuckled aloud while reading ominous phrases such as “since the beginning of man” or “Lord God Jehovah” in obvious effort to evoke some sort of religious frenzy against the “desecration of the family.”

Do the authors suggest Washington state laws should be based on a preferred religion? I think passing a law to select our state-sanctioned religion may be infinitely more difficult than the matter of same-sex marriage.

Our state does not recognize an official or preferred religion and neither does the United States. Doing so would violate the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Thank goodness our founding fathers had the intelligence and foresight to squash that bug early on. Leave religion out of it. It has no place in state or federal lawmaking. If you don’t agree with same-sex marriage, then don’t marry someone of the same sex. Simple as that.

David Reed

Vancouver

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