Christie on gays, sin, and civil unions

Timothy Kincaid

June 15th, 2011

I may have misjudged Chris Christie when he won the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey:

Christie is no friend of our community.

Statements he has now made to Piers Morgan suggest a man who is less antagonistic than I presumed.

While this is still a position that is a disappointment for New Jersey, where marriage seemed a likelihood a few years ago, I’m sure there are plenty of gay folk who would happily trade their governor for him.

What is interesting about this interview is that Christie felt no need to note that his view was “perhaps in disagreement with others in the party” nor did Morgan seem shocked by the “liberal” stance. And this bodes well for the future of our rights. While the current batch of clowns dancing around the calliope hoping to get the privilege of losing to Obama in 2012 are all dedicated to heterosexual supremacy, Christie’s position gives recognition – and permission – to the growing number of Republican politicians who are abandoning the rhetoric of sin.

Reed Boyer

June 15th, 2011

I think the initial assessment was spot-on. “No friend.”

TampaZeke

June 15th, 2011

So he’s a little bit less of an asshole than previously thought. Woo hoo!

Still, I WOULD trade him for my governor. I’d trade Super Satan for my governor. He’s only about half as evil as Rick Scott.

Erin

June 15th, 2011

I still don’t like him.

Jerry

June 16th, 2011

As soon as they begin with “my church” I have to interrupt and ask them if they are Roman Catholic, would they accept Papist Union as long as it has the same legal rights as marriage, or Baptist union. If it’s a second or more marriage, would they accept Adultery Union? Christian churches teach that. It’s in the Bible.

Amicus

June 16th, 2011

hummm…when he says, “I believe it is a ‘sin’, but I’m going to vote for it anyway, because I could be wrong”, then he might be a true leader.

Throbert McGee

June 16th, 2011

As soon as they begin with “my church” I have to interrupt and ask them if they are Roman Catholic, would they accept Papist Union as long as it has the same legal rights as marriage

I don’t think that would really be an appropriate response to this particular interview, though, because Christie didn’t use the phrase my church when explaining why he supported “same-sex civil unions” but only “one man, one woman marriage.”

In other words, he didn’t invoke “my church” in the discussion of what the secular government’s policy should be, but only when discussing his personal views on whether homosexuality is a “sin.”

However, I agree with your general point, that “Shouldn’t you be insisting that second marriages should legally be called Adultery Unions?”, is a very logical response when Christians use “my church says…” in the SSM debate.

Throbert McGee

June 16th, 2011

Incidentally, this interview definitely seems to cross the line into “Excommunicate-able” territory, and it’ll be interesting to see if any conservative bishops and other senior clergy attempt to use the threat of formal excommunication against Christie.

From the RCC’s point-of-view, they’d probably rather save the excommunication threats as their weapon of last resort just in case the NJ legislature passed a same-sex marriage law and Christie showed signs that he was thinking about signing it instead of vetoing it.

On the other hand, the RCC’s position is that Catholics should equally oppose same-sex civil unions just as much as SSM. And while there’s essentially zero chance that a rank-and-file Catholic layperson would be excommunicated for the offense of publicly supporting civil unions, for a politician of Christie’s prominence to do so could be a different matter.

Throbert McGee

June 16th, 2011

Although off the top of my head, the only case I know of where American Catholics were formally excommunicated over the SSM issue did involve “rank-and-file laypeople”!

(I’m thinking of the lesbian couple who traveled to Canada to get married, and upon returning home, they gave news interviews in which they emphasized that they were gay and Roman Catholic and that the thought the church was wrong.)

Leave A Comment

All comments reflect the opinions of commenters only. They are not necessarily those of anyone associated with Box Turtle Bulletin. Comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

(Required)
(Required, never shared)

PLEASE NOTE: All comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

 

Latest Posts

The Things You Learn from the Internet

"The Intel On This Wasn't 100 Percent"

From Fake News To Real Bullets: This Is The New Normal

NC Gov McCrory Throws In The Towel

Colorado Store Manager Verbally Attacks "Faggot That Voted For Hillary" In Front of 4-Year-Old Son

Associated Press Updates "Alt-Right" Usage Guide

A Challenge for Blue Bubble Democrats

Baptist Churches in Dallas, Austin Expelled Over LGBT-Affirming Stance

Featured Reports

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.

Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate

When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.

Paul Cameron’s World

In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.

From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”

On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.

Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"

The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths

At last, the truth can now be told.

Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!

And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.

Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?

Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.

Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples

Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.

The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.

Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count

Daniel FettyThe FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.