re: 10th Circuit rules Utah gay marriage ban unconstitutional

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And given the tax-exempt status they enjoy partially as a result of those legal authorities the state grants, I'd say the government would have a point.

I absolutely do not agree with the tax-exempt status of churches. Then again, I feel the same way about nonprofits in general

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The last thing liberals want is for churches to start paying taxes.

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I absolutely do not agree with the tax-exempt status of churches.

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Ironically churches are tax exempt due to:
Tax Information for Charitable Organizations
Tax information for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, and other organizations exempt under Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") section 501(c)(3). LINK At least some of the logic behind the tax exemption is non-government interference with religious institutions. Yet in the case of marriage that's exactly what they are doing. But honestly if that's what it takes for government to divest itself from the institution of marriage, giving up tax exempt status would be a small price to pay. Then again, you would have to rationalize the tax exempt status of other charitable non-profit organizations.

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No liberal-o

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Doesn't change what I said.

If churches aren't tax exempt that means you can no longer legislate that pastors can't endorse candidates from the pulpit. Be careful what you wish for.

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Government should have nothing to do with marriage for this reason.

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Makes no sense.

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This sounds like a great outcome to me

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Me too. But this is precisely the reason it will never happen.

Also, what exactly would you tax churches on? The donations they receive? Wouldn't that be double-taxation since these funds have already been taxed when received by the individual?

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Which has created the very conflict we are now seeing between freedom of religion and civil rights for gays. I will qualify my statement: marriage is NOT a right specifically granted in the Constitution while religious freedom is. The courts' rulings relative to marriage have been shortsighted and an interpolation of the Constitution IMHO.

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Marriage is part of Liberty. It is a natural, inalienable right.

Marriage is among the most basic, natural human rights. It is a social, often financial union that contains within it countless rights between the parties involved. Government has to govern things like this.

The idea of government getting out of marriage is as absurd as the idea of government getting out of lawmaking. Marriage is the government's business and always will be.

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Also, what exactly would you tax churches on? The donations they receive?

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Yeah, I guess. I don't actually know the specifics of where they get breaks, although my dad was a pastor. I'm guessing their income isn't taxed, or at least there are no payroll taxes.

What I was really thinking is that those charitable donations shouldn't get written off.

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It means that specific judges choose to interpolate the Constitution and state laws to mold society into their own liberal progressive image.

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The court's interpretation of 14 is not liberal or conservative.

It states that you can't prevent a citizen from signing a contract based on his sex. That isn't a liberal agenda. That's common sense.