“Gay marriage not a religious issue”? Marriage (as defined) has been a religious ceremony for centuries and it is quite appropriate that religious leaders speak up in its defense. Edgar Allen Beem’s suggestion that “we would all be better off” if the churches would just see things his way is the first of his many insulting remarks. The attack on the Catholic Church for speaking against gay marriage and on priests for their choice of celibacy is another. If celibacy, per se, produces aberrant behavior, how do we account for that behavior in all those who are not priests?

Not content with his bigoted view of the Catholic Church, Beem calls the Republicans “extreme” because they almost unanimously voted against the issue. Could it be that the Democratic majority saw this as neither a religious nor a “civil rights” issue, but voted in favor as another opportunity to buy future votes?

It amazes me how Beem rules out “religion” at the beginning of his comments and then proceeds to write about Catholic priests, practices, “his” church, spiritual benefits of marriage and sin. Could it be that there is a religious aspect to this? And he enlightens us with just which things are sinful and which are not! By the way, the word “homophobia” is a made-up invention of liberals, is not in the dictionary and is simply more name-calling rampant in Beem’s writings.

John Teller
Georgetown