Whenever government assumes a greater role in a societal or cultural debate, expect both intended and unintended consequences. The U.S. Supreme Courtâ??s decision to make same-sex marriage a constitutional right under the Fourteenth Amendment will generate huge conflicts â?? in some cases unforeseen â?? with the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.
Until this constitutional showdown is ultimately decided, the campaign on the part of some same-sex marriage advocates to vigorously go after religious people and institutions that do not actively support same-sex marriage will intensify. In their orthodox versions, none of the teachings of the three major faiths in the United States (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) condone same-sex marriage, so there will be a myriad of legal challenges in lower courts against those institutions once same-sex couples are inevitably denied marriage vows by them.
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