The Episcopal Church: Mainstream Anglican San Franciscan http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040221/D80REHL00.html The city of San Francisco, one of the most radically liberal enclaves even in liberal California has taken a cue from the Episcopal playbook on same sex marriages: ignore broader concensus, disobey the law, and cloak it in language of tolerance, compassion, and yes, experience. Let's look at the similarities: Ignoring broader consensus
Proposistion 22, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman passed handily. The majority of voting Californians clearly want to defend the traditional definition of marriage (the civil union question aside). Congress overwhelmingly passed the Defense of Marriage Act allowing states to declare gay marriages invalid and polls show Americans against gay marriage in overwhelming numbers. Yet, San Francisco cares not and thumbs its nose at the rest of its fellow citizens. Sound familar? 37 Anglican Primates saying don't proceed with ordination of a gay bishop; The ABC saying don't proceed; nearly every sane person in the world (even those sympathetic to Robinson) saying don't proceed. And yet, ECUSA gladly tells the rest of the world politely (as is the Anglican way) to go to hell. Disobey the Law The broader consensus has made its voice known by the passing of laws, such as proposition 22. Laws, in case the left needs reminding, are binding on all individuals. In an ordered society, even laws we don't necessarily like, are still laws. For every marriage license San Francisco issues, it is committing a criminal act. Does it sound familiar for those of us in ECUSA? Clandestine gay wedding ceremonies? Open gay wedding ceremonies? Ignoring canon law when they disagree with it, vigorously encorcing it when it is against the orthodox? Just as San Francisco is above the law because they are "right," ECUSA bishops are above the canon laws because they are "right." And who says the far left doesn't believe in orthodoxy? Cloak it in language of tolerance, compassion, and yes, experience Allowing gays to marry is the nice thing to do in California, the judges say. Enforcing the law takes a back seat to being nice and polite. Next the courthouses are going to start serving high tea with prominent Episcopal bishops. Both judges declared that nobody is getting hurt so what's the problem with gay marriage (I'm not being sarcastic; this really is judicial reasoning)? San Francisco's mayor suggested Governor Schwarzenegger meet with some gay couples and he'll see that it's both loving and lawful. So I guess if an sin act doesn't physically harm anyone and can in some way be seen as loving it isn't really a sin law anymore. Hmm, that should sound really familiar to Anglicans fed up with ECUSA. In conclusion, the Episcopal Church, like the radical San Franciscans, believes it can do whatever it wants in spite of the law and the broader concensus. The Episcopal Church can finally claim to be mainstream...not Anglican...but Mainstream San Franciscan. Arnie is at least stepping in to stop SF's nonsense. Arnie for ABC?