[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Mancie

Willow.. the Catholic church should have the same rights as any other faith.. but why should they claim exemption from the law?

You can't have it both ways. If the law says that all adoption agencies must arrange adoptions for gay couples then the rights of the Catholic church are superceded by that law.

As another example where exemption is permitted: Abortion is legal in this country but some surgeons can opt out if it goes against their personal beliefs. Not all surgeons perform abortions. If all surgeons were to be forced by law to perform abortions then the ones who could not in all conscience live with themselves if they did so would have to give up being surgeons - thus causing a lot of people to miss out on other vital operations.

Why cannot the Catholic adoption agencies just deal with same sex couples and refer the gay couples to other agencies, just as they do now and just as doctors who could not personally condone an abortion do not insist that their patient doesn't have one but refers that patient to someone who is willing to deal with it?