Now Let Me Get This Straight...

Item:

“A family-owned bakery has been penalized $135,000 [plus interest] and driven out of business because they won’t do something that violates their religious beliefs.

“Then the government ordered them to stop publicly talking about their religious beliefs.

“Worse, bureaucrats then raided the family’s bank accounts [including monies set aside for charitable giving] to punish them for taking a stand based on their religious beliefs.

“In the past three years, all of the above has happened to one family—Aaron and Melissa Klein of Oregon and their five children…”1

Now let me try to get this straight.2  Just thinking out loud here…

Marriage is a religious rite, and institution.  It is also a civil matter, and contract, and legally called by the same name/term.  In this federal constitutional republic, the states, via their constitutions, rule over such domestic matters; the federal government having only limited and delegated powers, by the terms of its constitution - the U.S. Constitution.  So in this country, the constitutions of the several states - as I say; and as vouchsafed as well by the 9th and 10th Amendments, of what is called the Bill of Rights - rule over such matters as this.  Therefore, it is up to the citizens of each state to agree, in a fair way - i.e., by majority vote; in free and fair elections3 - to the terms of their state constitutions.  If you don’t like the terms of the state’s constitution wherein you reside, you can move to a state whose constitution you can agree to, and feel comfortable with.  

Only federal matters, then, are covered by the federal constitution.  You are not vouchsafed any rights by the federal government except those that are contained in the federal contract.  

That said, and clarified, as the basis for looking at this particular matter, we now come to the crux of this matter (and many like it).  To wit:

That federal contract has, via its amending process, and specifically thereby in the 14th Amendment, a provision declaring that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States…”  And since the citizens of the U.S are specifically allowed, under the terms of the First Amendment of their national constitution, “the free exercise” of their religion, one could reasonably conclude that this means that the several States cannot abridge that freedom, and ”exercise”.  So far, so reasonably good.

However, it would appear that the 14th Amendment was not properly  - i.e., legally - ratified.     

(First major problem here.)

So - what to do.

Yes yes: We could hastily arrange for some state ratifications to attempt to make it legal.  (As has been engaged in, all clandestinely, by some states somewhat recently in an attempt to legalize the 17th Amendment well after the fact in that constitutional-crisis case.)  But of all the decisions that have been made in the meantime as fruit of the poisoned tree…??  And of the likewise poisoned tree of the 16th Amendment???...

And in the same spirit, of trying to rectify legalistic errors: What of all the decisions, executive, legislative, and judicial, that were made during at least the second George W. Bush term, when it comes out that the Republicans stole the 2004 Ohio election, and thus (at least) that state’s Electoral College votes, and thus the final Electoral College tally that put him over the top??  And what of all the similar decisions that were made during Barack Hussein Obama’s illicit two terms in office, when that ‘little matter’ is dealt with???  And.  And.  And………    

I know what I would do.

In any kingdom that I would rule over, I would not allow the hallowed institution of marriage - i.e., the family unit in society; as opposed to all being equally drones of the state (and ruled over by the state to within an inch of one’s life, with that 'little matter' out of the way) - between same-sex partners.  Call the latter a partnership; call it whatever you wish to.  But not marriage.  Why?  Because that would elevate an abnormal state of affairs to the level of a normal state of affairs, officially, then, recognized as such by the state; homosexuality being an abnormality, i.e., outwith the norm, and all.4  .   

And I would ask you to trust my judgment in all these sorts of matters.

In any kingdom of the Dark side, I am sure that the Masters there would enjoy having abnormality - and sinister highhandedness - reign.

Anything to take people - incarnate souls - away from the straight - and ‘straight’ - and narrow.

And that said, we are all the Children of the same God.

Engaged in a Play.

Which is about to be

over.

Thank God.

—

footnotes:

1 letter from First Liberty Institute, a legal outfit which supports - pro bono - people and organizations under attack regarding their ‘religious freedom’.

2 And ‘straight’ as well.

3 which in addition are required, by federal law, to be ‘free and fair,’ regarding (at least) any federal elections.  Another, and even more serious, matter regarding Life In Our Times in this terribly corrupted country.  Such elections being the bedrock foundation in any democracy or republic, and thus to be treated as sacrosanct.

  But to continue.

4 Aspects of which matter I have covered in these pages many times before.  All having to do with how our brains are being 'miswired' by environmental factors, and thus, by definition, capable of being cleaned up, straightened out; corrected.  With the right will.  And, perhaps, Will.

   Speaking of 'religious' matters.