A Tennessee state representative is co-sponsoring a bill designed to protect clergy from being forced to marry same-sex couples.
Since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last month, county clerks have been busy. So have some Tennessee lawmakers.
“I’ll just be honest, I refuse to recognize the Supreme Court’s decision,” said Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden.
Holt recently drafted the Tennessee Pastor Protection Act, a preemptive measure against clergy being forced to perform same-sex ceremonies on church property.
“Eighty-one and a half percent of Tennesseans said we don’t want same-sex marriage,” Holt said. “And we changed our constitution to allow for that.”
But Holt claims the Supreme Court overstepped its bounds when it lifted bans on same-sex marriage. He said the court violated the 10th Amendment, giving states sovereignty to enact their own laws.
Tennessee not only banned same-sex marriage in 1996, but also refused to recognize the unions.
“If they vote against the will of the people, then I think all rights need to be further preserved and girded up,” Holt said.
“No one is trying to make ministers do this, or their congregations,” said Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project.
Sanders said lawmakers are just (continue reading at WSMV)